Consumed by Fire (DigitalSiren x Vekraihr)

“Truly,” his response was heartfelt and his own smile could be heard in the way his voice brightened and brimmed with the positive surge of energy. He enjoyed how enraptured she seemed about learning his pleasures and coaxing them forth from him. As she looked upon his twitching cock, it seemed to respond enthusiastically as he gave a slight shiver of delight. Each stroke of his shaft made his breaths deepen and his moans lengthened and beckoned her for more. His hips mildly gyrated as she stroked him, evidence of both his level of activity when amorous as well as how nicely she was making him feel.

Sol surely didn’t mind the shift in her behavior, rather enjoying their mutual discovery within this place which sealed them from the rest of the Universe, if only for a few moments. And, right now, he wanted nothing more than for it to be just the two of them within this space and for nothing to break his thoughts or concentration. His muscles visibly flexed and relaxed beneath his skin with each pull of air, every shift of his hips, and each curl of his toes. Orii was much damper than he’d anticipated she’d be, figuring nerves might have stalled her a little but she seemed as prepared as ever for what he had in store for her.

Each moan punctuated with a firm pulse of his shaft, the rigid tissue feeling nearly as hard as steel beneath the soft flesh around it. Her grip on him, with its pleasurable tightness, accelerated, and his vocal display of delectation followed in kind. Then, her focus seemed to draw elsewhere and the motions stopped and Sol nearly stopped to ask if anything was wrong before he felt what she’d planned for him. Suddenly, her assault on his more sensitive portion caused his hips to jerk upwards again and he ground his teeth a little as he did his best to contain himself from crying out too loudly. However, it wouldn’t be too long he’d needed to endure this as she resumed her previous motions as he infiltrated her tight entrance.

Spurred by the breathy, lovely moans which left her and the call of his name, his finger and thumb continuing in alternate rhythms to each other as her grip on him began to falter. He could feel the need welling within her, the tension before release which made it all too apparent to him what was coming. However, she spoke out against this, sounding timid and demure as his fingers coaxed forth her pinnacle, though her tone conveyed the need just as well. Rather than cave to her demand, Sol redoubled his efforts, his thumb more intensely pressing against that bead of pleasure and creating tighter circles as his finger pumped back and forth gradually faster within her.

He moaned at her continuation, the unpredictable way she was stroking his twitching shaft and he felt his own need for release beginning to build. “No, Orii...I won’t stop...You need to feel it...Once you do, you’ll understand, my love,” Sol spoke firmly and with authority, taking control of her for just this moment in order to bring her enlightenment. Tension was slowly building in his lower body as he felt his seed beginning to build, warming his core as the fluid collected in preparation for release. Quite a long time had passed since his last and their teases the night prior had left him wanting. Also, Oriane held a place of love and affection within him which seemed to amplify the pleasure of her touches.

Every second punctuated by a breath, a moan, or by the lewd sounds which seemed louder in the small space. Golden hues of fire gazed into her, filled with the sureness that what was to come would alter her perspective in a mostly positive way. Together they built towards a crescendo and Sol was determined to get her there. His body trembled with the desire to release, his hips beginning to move just as randomly as her hand seemed to, somewhere between gyration and grinding as he lustily moaned, “Orii!” His core tensed hard as his hips arched towards her hand for a final time and his cock twitched powerfully as the first torrent of his thick, hot seed erupted forth and splashed over both of their skins. Heated, deep moans left his throat as he growled lightly between in order to save himself from calling out more. Several strong gushes followed up, each growing a little weaker in force until the last merely dripped forth from his tip. All the while, his fingers moved in ways that would amplify her pleasure to the point of being nearly unbearable, following the cues her body gave off in order to tell him when best to strike.

Afterwards, when most men would grow soft, Sol remained as rigid and ready as he'd been before. Evidence of either improved stamina on his behalf or perhaps something that was special to him as a Solarian. Either way, Sol laid on the stone bed with the rise and fall of his chest accompanying his labored breaths, an evident smile spread wide across his lips as he looked at her. Simultaneously, satisfaction and a desire for more conveyed by the language of his eyes as his fingers slowly came to rest so they might both bask in the afterglow of their revelry. "Sincerely, that was the quickest I've been brought to climax. I must really like you," his tone was charming and bright, not quite as plagued by his morning grogginess as he'd been moments ago.
 
Outside their little personal universe Bellamere was awake. She’d peaked into the room Sol should have been in and found him missing. Smiling the older woman looked toward the cube. If that boy wasn’t in there she’d have been disappointed. Heading towards the bathroom, she began her day and let her mind wander. It was true, she worried about Oriane. Hell, it wasn’t the first time in the past day that she thought Orii needed someone else in her life; she’d thought it enough that it was almost a mantra in her mind. She couldn't help but want the young woman she'd taken under her wing to find happiness. Sol, seemed like he might be that happiness.

Shower over and dressed, Bellamere couldn’t help but be almost giddy with her feelings over the pair. Pausing near the cube, hand raised she heard a moan. Blinking she leaned in, unsure she’d heard correct. There was another, soft, feminine followed by a masculine one. It wasn’t often Bellamere blushed, not at her age. “Oh.. My” Stepping away she shook her head. Her plans of waking the two, maybe making the breakfast gone. It would be best to leave the pair to well… Blushing again she quickly left a note, saying she’d gone out and didn’t want to wake them.

Inside, Oriane had no idea that they’d been heard. Her universe was one other being, Sol. His pleasure and the way his fingers moved along her, inside her. Biting her lower lip, Orii tried to stop the sounds she was making from being too loud; each sure movement of his fingers drawing lusty little moans from her and the closer he drew her to the edge, the louder she became. She didn’t understand why when asked, he didn’t stop but seemed to double down on his efforts. Her free hand grasped his forearm, nails biting into his skin. Oriane was stubborn, fighting against the pleasure she was unaware he was offering, but even she was no match for it, nor him. He knew what waited for her and his desire was made manifest as she tumbled over that edge with a cry, eyes leaving his as her head fell back. Her release came within seconds of his own, her name on his lips.

How did one even put into words the feeling? She’d ask herself that later, when trying to recall her very first orgasm. There had been fear, embarrassment and then bliss; as if every nerve was alight with pleasure, tingling with the glow as it spread through her body. Much like her thighs had parted for him, as she’d begun to orgasm, her hips moved up into his hand, eager and needy, her own body more aware of what she needed than she was. Panting softly, her eyes still closed, she gave a weak laugh and curled into him, her hand still curled around his cock. Cheek resting on his shoulder she tipped her head towards him, lips brushing his jawline. “I think I understand now” The blush could be heard in her voice and seen on her cheeks.

She was trying to remember how to breathe, when she remembered where her hands was. Gazing down his body, she smiled. Releasing him, her fingers trailed along his still hard length, both her hand and his shaft coated in his seed. Chuckling softly she bit her lower lip. “I thought coming so quickly was a bad thing” her voice was playful and teasing, as they both knew she’d no real experience in the matter, it was something she’d overheard. “Or is it a good thing in this case? Because” She sat up some, lips brushing his own in a chaste kiss. “You really like me?” She felt giddy after her first orgasm and it showed in her playfulness and in her face. Even while she teased him, her fingers traced along his shaft. "I didn't know that men stayed... hard this long" The movement was almost absent minded, here in the darkness, with just one another.. She wasn’t ready to draw way. Though, in truth, she never wished to be far from him.

Biting her lower lip, worrying that soft flesh between her teeth she watched him, with heavy eyes. “Thank you for not stopping.” Blushing she hid her face against the curve of his neck, inhaling his scent. He made her feel awkward, something that before him, she rarely felt. She’d not had much reason to feel so awkward in her life. Still cuddled against him, her lips brushed his neck as she spoke. “We should shower and I should look to see if I have any work orders that need doing”
 
When she was brought to climax, his pleasure increased just from knowing she'd reached that zenith. Orii seemed very sensitive to his touch, which continued as she arched towards his hand and he played a rhythm that would send shockwaves of pleasure through her body. His fingers were stronger than most and talented to boot, indicative of either experience or natural ability; he'd not disclosed which, yet. As she curled against his body afterward, he let his finger slowly slip out of her and his hand just rest against her mound as he sighed contentedly and basked with her.

Each of his breaths came in controlled, deep pants as he smiled and reveled in the sensation of Orii continuing to grasp him as his manhood refused to ease its engorgement. A brush of lips on his jaw made him smile and Sol stroked his lips over her forehead and gave a warm kiss as he gave a deep sigh. One large arm wrapped around her neck and shoulder, nestling the girl protectively against his large frame as he let out an absentminded, "Mmmmmmmm..." His heart rate was noticeably slowing, though stayed excitedly elevated from the closeness of the two of them. A low chuckle left him at her next words and he nudged against her softly and smiled brightly, "I'm glad you do. Maybe you'll be a little more receptive to it in the future," he teased playfully. However, his tone conveyed that he'd gladly do it again then and there if she so wished, the lingering heat of lust still smoldering within. His golden eyes were still molten and beautiful as he maintained his undivided attention on her.

As her fingers trailed against him, he softly gasped and gave a quiet moan of delight as his shaft further stiffened and twitched eagerly at the attention. As she kissed him so sweetly, he closed his eyes and kissed her with reserved passion and deep affection. "Normally, it is...But, I think there's a special exception in this case...You make me feel much better than anyone else ever has...And I've never felt with anyone what I feel with you," he explained happily as he watched her playful and coquettish behavior. As her fingers traced him, he bit the soft interior of his lip lightly to keep from gasping again before laughing softly at her next statement. "We don't, typically. As I said, you make me feel different than I've ever before," his eyes sharpened on her in an appreciative way as the corners wrinkled from his full smile.

As she thanked him, he gave a slow nod and leaned towards her and buried his nose into the locks of carmine of which he drew a deep breath in. "Mmmm...It was our pleasure," he responded with a tauntingly lewd response and, as if to accentuate that, grazed that sensitive button of hers with a fingertip as he chuckled deeply. He could lay with her forever, just the two of them entwined and without worry as they remained, for the moment, sealed within their own private universe. As she brushed her lips against his neck, he gave a soft groan of delight and pulled her a little closer towards him with the arm around her shoulder. As she suggested the shower, he nodded in agreement as he smiled and kissed the top of her head. "I'm not sure if we'd both fit in there, but maybe we can both at least be in there and I could help wash your hair and back?" he asked hopefully, seeming as though he would enjoy the prospect of extending the intimacy.

Shifting a little in their shared grasp of each other, Sol stretched out his body and gave a rumbling growl as his muscles warmed further. He then reached the door of the cube and pushed it open with relative ease and his eyes quickly adjusted to the sudden change in light. Sol pulled Orii even closer and cradled her small frame against him and slipped out through the opening, all the while holding her as he came to a standing position. Even with the addition of her weight, it seemed he had no problem at all moving. Though he moved around in all of that armor and she wouldn't have known how much that weighed. Rather quickly, he noticed the note left by Bellamere, and his cheeks flushed just a little bit. Had she heard what had gone on between the two of them? It seemed like a possibility, though he wouldn't have been able to say for certain when the note was left.

"Seems Bella went out, so I think we should be able to just creep on over into the bathroom without sullying any of our clothes," he pointed out with a grin as he continued to cradle Orii, holding her aloft with one arm stretched along her back and his hand supporting her rear. Grabbing his shower bag with his free hand, Sol carried both towards the door and slid it open before peeking out. His eyes scanned back and forth slowly for Bella before he walked out into the hall and across into the bathroom door, where he finally set Orii down in front of the shower stall. "If you don't have work, you can come to the Boughs with me this morning for us to look for a new place. Otherwise, I'll wait until you get finished with work. I'll see if I can find some legitimate work in the meantime," he sounded excited at the prospect of house hunting with her and he wondered to himself if there would be any homes in which everything would be as fireproof as her cube was. Given the variations of the races, certainly, at least a handful had to exist and be available.
 
Did his heart beat like hers? Like a little bird, trying to escape his ribs, fluttering madly within the cage of bone. Pulled into him, she snuggled in closer, the feel of his lips against her forehead, lingering there with a warmth that made the edges of her lips curl. The idle touch of her fingers paused for a moment as she laughed, a bright surprised sound, blush blossoming as she bit her lower lip. “To be fair, it felt a bit odd” She didn’t want to say what it felt like. For some reason telling the man, she was falling for, her first in so many ways that it felt like she needed to pee? It was mortifying, even if he was aware somehow. Instead, the tip of her fingers danced along his ever hardening length. Her chin tipped upwards and her eyes met his own, the lust still shimmering in his golden hues. Leaning up, she pressed herself against him as her mouth found his. Orii’s mouth and body lingered against his own and she couldn’t help but marvel at the way they seemed to fit; did everyone fit this way, or was it just them?

Chuckling as his mouth found hers again, seconds later she happily indulged in another kiss, matching his own ardor with her own. When they parted she looked down at his cock, her fingers still idlely touching him. Shy, she linked back up at him. “You don’t mind?” Her shy smile grew as he said it was her that had the effect on him and that he felt like this with no other. Unlike her, Sol had other lovers in his past; the fact didn’t bother her, but it did make the firebird swell with a sort of pride, to know she had this effect on him. As Sol buried his face in the wealth of her hair she nuzzled into him affectionately with a low purr, the sound ending on a gasping little whimper as his finger teased that sweet pearl. “Our pleasure indeed.” She said wryly, her face turning into him, lips brushing his neck; his groan of delight as he pulled her closer still, elicited a delighted purr from her.

Oriane’s eyes closed at the brush of his lips against her hair. He was right, their shower was too small for them both. Sol’s bulk would have taken most of the shower and no matter how slight it would have been a tight fit. Her fingers gave his cock one last little touch as she pulled her hand away, slowly pushing herself upright. Oriane wasn’t a dominant personality, but gazing down at Sol, her lover. She paused, staring down at him, her feelings clearly written across her features. He was hers. His words echoed in her min and she leaned in to kiss him. “I’d love that” Orii's voice was warm as her canines flashed in the darkness and she gave a delighted gasp as he pulled her into his arms.

Snuggled into his arms, her own wrapped around his neck, one small hand slipping into the hair at the base of his neck. Her nail dragged up into his hair lightly. Her eyes followed his to the note and she gave a squeak, curling into him closer. “Sol, she didn’t hear us did she?” Her face flamed, from her neck all the way into her crimson locks. He distracted her though and she laughed softly and leaned into him, her teeth scraping his ear. “I suppose the Boughs will provide one bright side” As they slipped into the bathroom she laid her head on his shoulder. “A shower big enough to share” Her invitation was offered shyly but with nothing but desire behind it.

Outside of their little universe Oriane didn’t revert completely to her decision from the night before. She’d said she had wanted to take it slow, but she didn’t want to be a nun… and this morning had brought to light the delights that awaited her at Sol’s hands. A skill learned or natural, Orii was eager to be at his tender mercy again and not just once. The thought made her blush and she leaned back into him as she fiddled with the settings. “I prefer cooler showers. What about you?” Her head tipped backward and she smiled at him, nodding. “I will likely have work” Her tone shifted, but only slightly. “If I do, I will try and get a shower before heading to meet you”

While he might not tolerate someone looking down on her, she didn’t wish to ensure his wrath on their new neighbors quite so soon. Setting the shower between their own personal preference she stepped into the small stall. Her hair darkened as the water soaked into it, becoming richer in tone. Rivulets of water falling along her skin. Turning to face him, she held out her hand for his soap. Blush touched her cheeks as she made her request. “Can I use your soap?” Perhaps it was silly, but she wished to carry the scent of him on her throughout her day. It was unlikely she’d forget waking up in his arms, or the sweet exploration of one another… It was more comfort that she wished for. So when she closed her eyes, it would be as if he was there with her. “It will make it feel like you’re with me if I have to work” She admitted to him shyly.
 
Sol smiled at her musings on how it felt odd and his eyes twinkled with a mild curiosity, though he didn’t press her any further. Her blushing cheeks told him all he’d needed to know and he’d heard varying things from women enough to know what Orii might’ve experienced. All of her innocence and her unique ways of dealing with it made him chuckle softly as another shiver ran through him. Every moment that passed, his adoration of her grew further and stronger. “Mmmmmm!” he exclaimed in surprise as she pressed against him so perfectly and sweetly, his lips locking with hers affectionately as he wrapped his arm a little further around her. At her question, he cocked an eyebrow as he tilted his head ever so slightly, questioning, "Why would I mind?” He was still incredibly warm against her fingertips, twitching with the quick rhythm of his heart as he looked amorously at her.

Each of her ways of informing him of how she was feeling— whether by her delighted purrs or how she nuzzled up against him— encouraged him to further action and he wondered if there would be any end to how she enamored him. He gave a soft gasp and breathed a little sigh of relief as she pulled her fingers away, grinning at her as he teased, “I don’t think I’d have been able to keep myself off of you had you kept that up for much longer.” There was a sincerity to what he said, despite it being a tease. Sol enjoyed the way she felt cradled in his arms and more so as she started to scratch over his scalp, eliciting a delighted growl from the Solarian man. A sharp gasp punctuated her biting at his ear, followed by a rapturous groan as he nibbled back at her own lobe and flicked his tongue over the edge of it dexterously. “I would be very pleased to share a shower with you, my dear,” his desire inflected in tone, Sol thought his cheeks might start hurting he was grinning so much.

“I also prefer cool showers in the morning. Refreshes and awakens me,” he responded to the question as he began to hum a similar tune as the one he’d hummed to put her to sleep the previous night. Sol was quite pleased by her opening to him in just the way she had, finding he preferred the thrill of the chase and prolonging the exploration over multiple sessions instead of jumping all the way in one fell swoop. “If you end up having to work, I think I can look into work myself. Should be some good opportunities for me here. And, if you can’t shower, don’t worry about that. I enjoy your natural smell just as much as your soaps,” he said to her as he leaned in and kissed her sweetly as she tipped herself back to look at him. “Hopefully no one will be too impolite...I would hate to have to be hostile so quickly…”

Sol watched her with unbridled attention and smoldering desire as the waters washed over her, darkening her hair and framing her curves with little streams of flowing water. After hearing her request, his head tilted a little with puzzlement before her explanation illuminated him and his eyes brightened. “That’s so very sweet, Oriane,” he replied happily as he reached into his shower bag and pulled out his soap and shampoo as well. As he placed the soap in her hand, he then began to lather his hands with the luxurious shampoo he used on his own silken hair. As she began to wash, his hands slithered into her hair and began to massage and knead her scalp as he spread the shampoo through her hair. Nails lightly scratched at her skin, working the lather all the way down to her roots as he continued to hum and bundled her hair up into his hands to wash it all. His fingers entangled slightly in her locks, only to come loose easily when he wanted as the suds reduced her hair’s ability to tangle.

Slowly, he massaged over her entire scalp and lightly dragged his nails across her skin, ensuring every surface of her scalp had been touched and washed. Sol worked the lather thoroughly through her hair, rubbing her strands between his hands until he reached the very tips of them. After, he rinsed his fingers of the shampoo before reaching to collect some of the soap on his hands. Starting at the back of her neck, Sol’s powerful fingers massaged her muscles and worked the soap over her skin. Working the slope of her neck, his fingers crossed over her shoulders and continued the kneading massages. He even used his knuckles, working the deeper tissues as he tended to her dotingly. “Oriane, you’re the first person I’ve ever felt this close to. I hope you show me patience as we grow together,” he spoke candidly as his hands continued to travel down the length of her back, showing her affection through his actions.
 
Why would he mind? It was a fair question to ask, it clearly didn’t hurt. The sounds Sol made were sweet to her ears she found; much like she found she enjoyed just laying there with him and touching him almost absentmindedly. Chuckling she had shrugged some and smiled, dimple flashing. Giggling she bit her lower lip, smiling again. “I will keep that in mind then” There was a thrill knowing something intimate, knowing how to spurn him further. Orii knew if she asked him, it might very well work, but it wouldn’t have been nearly as satisfying and drawing him to that sort of frenzy of her own volition.

The water was cool as it ran down her body and for not the first time she was annoyed at the size of their shower, though it had never once been before that annoyance been because she couldn’t fit another body in with her own. It was a pleasant problem to have, one that would be remedied soon enough. “You will be safe, won’t you?” She couldn’t help but question it, last night coming to mind; it had been in defense of her, but what if they decided to try again? Her hand reached out, lying flat against his bare chest, her teal eyes darkening. “Promise me? I just found you” her voice trailed off and her cheeks flushed but Oriane refused to look away. Shy or not, this was important to her. The edge of her lips curled and she snorted softly. “I don’t have high hopes for that, but I did think something along the same lines” She admitted bashfully.

When he handed her the soap, she leaned up to kiss him. “I am glad you think so.” Turning for him, she began to wash her front; the motion paused as he began to massage and kneed her scalp, moaning softly. Sol only broke her for a moment however and her hands began to move again. She took her time, bathing in his scent, hands moving along each slicked curve of her body. When his nails joined in, Orii began to purr, the sounds heard over the fall of the water, but just barely. The next time there was a bath or shower to be had, Orii was determined to share it with Sol. Biting her lower lip she closed her eyes and though his hands were divine in her hair, along her scalp she pictured it was his hands that cupped the weight of her breasts, the roughness of his thumb along her nipple. Each place her hands traveled, slick with soap, she pictured the strength of his own, the way he might touch her. Next time...

Biting her inner cheek, she let her little fantasy fade, as those hands she’d been daydreaming about moved to the back of her neck. “Mmmmm” Breathing out the pleasured sound she smiled softly as he spoke. She understood... “It’s silly, but you make me feel all tongue-tied. It’s my first relationship, it’s your first in a long time.” Her head turned slightly, chin resting on her shoulder, lashes lowered to shield her eyes from the water. “But I want to impress you” Perhaps the wording was wrong, but Orii spoke from her heart, as he had. “Though, I am unsure why you think you might try my patience” Smiling Oriane looked forward again her hands moving to her arms. Her voice lowered some. “But I don’t think you have anything to worry about Sol” She shifted some, leaning against him. The wetness of her body pressing against him, transferring soap and water as her hands reached for his. Gently she tugged his arms around her. Encircled in his arms she continued. “You did claim me after all” The words still soft as she lifted one of his hands to rest above her heart. “If you’re not careful it will mean all of me” She was falling for him and while he might have suspected, much like she did that he felt the same, knowing that such a thing was within his grasp?

“I know you have gentle hands first hand though” Turning in his arms she looked up at him. Soaking wet, his own font not much better. She’d be late for work, she knew it, but she didn’t mind. Moments like this didn’t come often, for her, the very first. Oriane wondered what ti was between the two of them. She’d read once about love at first sight, but this felt like more… Sol felt like her other half, a part of her being she’d not known to be missing until they’d met. Her hand rose to his cheek, her fingers curling along his skin. She’d heard another term once before but had thought it foolish. Soul mates. Orii wasn’t sure if that’s what caused this spark between them; if it was, the universe was a funny thing. She’d believed in love at first sight, but soulmates had seemed far-fetched.
 
At her question, Sol offered her the warmest and most genuine smile he was capable of producing and he nodded. “Of course I will, my darling. I’m more worried about you...Though, knowing what you are, I’d feel bad for anyone going against you. I promise I’ll stay alive. I’m pretty hard to kill, especially for regular people,” he responded to her with conviction and resolve and he placed his hand atop of hers on his chest for a moment and gave her a gentle squeeze before releasing her hand. His eyes were burning brightly and he seemed to want only for her to be happy and to be the one and only who shared in it with her. As she kissed him, he returned the affection with a broad smile as his eyes slowly shut for the moments they touched.

Sol listened to the lovely noises she made as she was washed under his discerning, skilled touch as he bit his lip softly to the noise. He watched as she washed over the front of her body and he felt envious of her hands for having the opportunity to touch those beautiful curves of hers. He was impressed he could hear the sound of her purring above the water and he grinned broadly at the noise she made to signal him of her enjoyment. He wouldn’t know that she, too, pictured him fondling her rather than washing her scalp and hair. He relished the thought of what a larger bath would provide both of them the liberty to do. As he moved along to her neck, his eyes shut slowly as he just enjoyed the feeling of her skin beneath his. As she spoke to him, his eyes opened slowly and he looked at her as if she were the only person in existence. And, at this moment, she truly was the only one his eyes, mind, and heart.

He listened to everything she had to say, seeming to take it all in and think on it as a whole before responding to her. As she turned towards him and pressed his own soap against him through the close contact of her skin, he sighed happily as he squeezed her tightly to him. He’d never maintained an erection for this long after having an orgasm and he thought it wouldn’t pass until they’d both dressed and her divine figure was hidden from his gaze. She didn’t have to tug his arms much, as they were already working their way around her. As she pulled her hand over her heart, he pressed in softly and felt the beat of her heart as he smiled happily. “Well...I think it’s normal to feel tongue-tied when you’re having a new experience. And, I think it’s endearing you want to show me how wonderful you are, though you don’t really need to try for that. You’ve done so with everything you’ve done and all that you are. And, you’ve claimed me too, Orii. And, maybe I should tread more recklessly rather than taking care, then. I’d prefer all of you to be mine, and for all of me to be yours,” Sol’s words were laden with his devotion and attachment to her, a promise to stay should she have him. His eyes never left hers, not a moment of hesitation nor deceit crumbling at the sincerity of his tone.

“My hands are only gentle for you, sweetheart,” he jauntily teased her while he held onto her firmly, pressing himself against her back as he lightly nuzzled up against her. Sol wondered if somehow the universe knew he needed to be there with her, that they belonged together and it merely sped them towards their fated union. Sol had heard of soulmates before and he even believed in them from time to time as he’d seen couples who could only be described as such. Though, he never thought for a moment that there was someone out there for him like that. And yet, here she was in all of her splendor and glory, in his arms for him to bask in. “I feel myself falling for you...And I hope nothing tears us away from this connection— this relationship we’re forming,” Sol admitted somewhat bashfully with a warm smile, his hands pulling her closer still and held her securely up against him. “You’re going to smell very much like me,” he added after a moment had passed as he gave a low, soft chuckle. His fingers started softly tracing little patterns on her stomach before he stopped resisting his urges and slid his hands upwards, cupping her orbs and kneading them with soapy fingers as he bit the corner of his lip softly. His fingertips teased at her nipples ever so slightly, squeezing them between and then giving them a light tug before releasing her and he kissed the top of her head, shampoo be damned.

Sol had no real reason to rush and so would be perfectly content to hold Oriane for as long as she desired. However, he knew that it would have to end at some point and he went back and forth in his head about allowing the moment to pass or continue extending these little bits of affection and sweetness for as long as he could. Bringing his hand upwards, he clasped her chin between his fingers and tilted her head back so she was looking up. Then, using his tall physique to lean over her, took her lips in a deep, romantic kiss which imbued her with more of a sense of how he was truly feeling beneath it all. Love, pure and simple. He’d not the surety to say it aloud, nor did the timing feel completely appropriate but he knew he felt it and, if he kept it sequestered for too long, it would eventually come forth.

As Orii finished with her own washing and allowed him into the small stall, it became far more apparent how immense he was compared to her. He carried in with him the shampoo and what little room was left when she was in there was completely absent as his large frame stood within and he gave a bit of a self-conscious laugh as he dispensed a bit of the shampoo into his hands.“I’m not sure I can crouch low enough in here for you to wash my hair, so you can get me next time, yeah?” he asked her with a warm tone to his voice as he began to lather his hands up. Dipping his head low, he dampened his golden blonde locks and began to work the shampoo through, taking much less care of himself than he had her. It was easily apparent how he favored her with his actions. Soon, he’d finished with his shampooing and he looked to Orii expectantly and held a hand out for some of the soap. “If you would be so kind,” he flashed her a devilishly charming grin, his golden eyes still as bright as ever.

Forming a rich lather once again, he washed his body’s front and his arms with his large, rough hands and imagined for a moment what it would feel like to be caressed by her soft and small hands. His body shivered at the thought and he even got goosebumps on his arms and legs, the golden hairs standing noticeably at attention. He continued on to his lower half, pulling each leg up towards him rather than bending towards the floor, seeming very capable of balance even with the constraints of the shower. He made quick work of washing himself and took the rest of what little time remained for the currently allotted shower time to thoroughly rinse himself off, with Orii’s hands included. Once they were both free of suds, Sol grabbed her by her waist with each of his large hands, lifting her into the air with ease and pressing her against the wall. Firmly, he bore down on her in a way that signified how much he desired her before he repeated the message with a fervent kiss. Allowing them a few more moments to each other before they separated for the day, Sol supported her in this position easily and only parted his lips from hers for the moments when they needed to draw a breath.
 
The promise to stay safe helped alleviate Oriane’s fears and she giggled softly when he said he felt bad for anyone coming up against her. Honestly, she let the comment pass without worrying too much about what she did to people. Before, perhaps she might have worried more, but she had no desire to die; if it came down to her or the stranger attacking her, she wouldn’t hesitate. It wasn’t just for herself or even Bellamere at this point, Sol now weighed into that choice. The squeeze to her hand drew a smile to her lips as did the way Sol kissed her. There was something about him, something that told her he was special. It was more than the fact that they seemed to fit, like two pieces of a puzzle… Sol responded to her without holding back, he touched her, kissed her with a passion she felt was rare. She’d nothing to compare it to, that sort of almost wild abandon in which he gave himself to her freely; it didn’t change her mind one bit.

Cradled in his arms, hand above his heart, Sol shocked her into another sweet giggle and she wrinkled her nose at him playfully. For a moment Oriane cursed herself for not being brave enough to just tell him how she felt, in truth. That she was his, for as long as he wanted her and she hoped it was forever. It seemed too soon, even to the little firebird to go blurting out such things. Her eyes, however, couldn’t hide her feelings from him. They’d softened, her look amorous as she’d smiled at him shyly. When he admitted that he was falling for her, she made a silent promise that she’d be there to catch him. “Nothing will” She promised him, feeling it in her very bones. There was nothing in the universe that would keep them from what they were meant to be.

Oriane chuckled softly when Sol told her she would smell very much like him “I fail to see any problem with this” Snuggled against him as he traced patterns along the plane of her tummy. It would have been simple to say that Orii hadn’t been wishing that his hands would do what they did next. Happily, Sol seemed to be able to read her mind, or their desires were so closely linked that his strong hands cupped her breasts, the weight of them cradled in his palms. “Sol” His name was whispered, the soft need that she’d felt building again. Their skin slicked with his soap, moved almost frictionless as he kneaded her breasts; though it wasn’t until his fingers teased her nipples, the pink buds arching up eagerly, that Oriane moaned. Leaning back against him, her legs closed slightly, thighs brushing together, in answer to the ache she felt starting once more. The kiss to her hair made her smile, the touch almost innocent after what he’d just done. Oriane found she liked it. When his hand tipped her chin backwards and his lips found hers, her own hand slid into his hair. In that kiss, they both poured their hearts into it, the things neither was quite ready to say aloud, said silently.

When he said she couldn’t wash his hair, Oriane actually pouted at him; her hatred for the shower growing just a little more. She rose on her tiptoes to press a kiss just under his ear, something he’d done to her more than once. “See if you could stop me” Was her playful answer, followed by a nip to his ear. Sol was more efficient as he washed his body than the tender attention he’d paid her and she cursed the shower for the third time. When asked for the soap, she relinquished it too with a pout. “I hate this shower” Her voice borderline sulky in nature as she’d been eager to return the affection he’d showered her with. Biting her lower lip, she watched as Sol cleaned himself, eyes following his hands with an almost palpable hunger to be the one touching him.

Drawn from her thoughts of their next shower and what it would feel like to run her hands along the strong lines of his body, the slick feel of his skin beneath her palms, Oriane gasped as he lifted her into the air. Momentarily airborne she found herself trapped between the shower wall and him. Oh, she liked this… Purring, Oriane’s legs wrapped around his waist as he leaned in to kiss her, arms slipping around his neck. Her mouth met his with an ardent desire, one that spoke of why she’d been pouting. Her core was pressed against him as he held her aloft just above his hardened length. She could feel it too and it made her body ache more. Aft this morning, she knew what her body wanted, when this maddeningly needy ache began, what it demanded. Shifting against him her mouth found his again, but as she shifted her hips lowered some, slipping along his body. It was his hands and the support of the wall that kept her from simply sliding down over him, but not before she felt the tip of him push into her.

Oriane couldn’t help the next sound she made, the whimper that pushed from her mouth was one of nothing but need. Her body wanted nothing more than to have the rest of him inside her, as her legs hugged him tighter, the friction as she lifted slightly and then released. Their morning of teasing, of their releases… had done nothing to quench his need, and her body seemed more than willing to meet the demand. Breaking the kiss her forehead fell to his, eyes closed as she fought with her desire to tell him to take her. She wanted to wait… she didn’t want to wait… Heart racing she kissed him again, this kiss sweeter, her love and need pouring into it before she pulled back, perhaps too soon. “I want you” Oriane’s voice was a husky whisper... “I want to just say yes” She took a shuddering breath and shook her head. “But we have all the time” Her eyes opened and she looked to him, her love, desire swimming in her teal eyes. “Put me down my love” Her voice trembled with her request, the choice not an easy one; though those words, strangely enough were. Her love.
 
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Every moment he spent with her was one he cherished and wished to make the most of, and he loved her for that. Previously, his life had been spent with only the goal of securing his own future, however, he now had another reason to thrive and succeed. Oriane had given him so much more than just herself; she’d given him a new facet of himself that existed for her and her alone. Every kiss they shared made his skin tingle electric and his soul alight with fire so tempestuous it sometimes threatened to overwhelm him. Sol knew the feeling well, for it was the same sort of surge which filled him when he called upon the fundamental forces of the universe; unbreakable forces which all were subject to obey. And, the way they fit together— as two interlocking pieces of a jigsaw might —caused his heart to soar to new peaks.

“Good, nothing should,” he agreed with a saccharine warmth in his tone as he held her as close as he could without fusing the two of them together. At her assertion of there not being a problem with her smelling more like him, he chuckled softly as she snuggled up against him. As he began to tease her with his hands and fingers and she whispered his name, his grin broadened as he whispered in her ear, “What is it, darling?” He teased, knowing why she called his name and he licked his lips slowly as he thought of how she might be feeling from his touch. She made it quite clear how she enjoyed it. As her hand slipped up into his hair, his eyes closed slowly as he felt filled with the love she felt for him and he let it wash over him like the warm waves of a tropical beach.

Her pout to his pointing out what she wouldn’t be able to do given the constraints of their sizes and the shower made him laugh ever so softly. Then, as she kissed under his ear, he gave a soft gasp of delight as he chuckled at her response. Her nip made him give her a more clear indication of his delight as a low moan left him. “I hate that it keeps us from being more intimate,” he agreed with a slightly sulking tone of his own as he looked at her. Sol noticed how Orii stared at him as he washed and he ensured to take just enough time to frame and outline all the hard lines and chiseled musculature of his large frame.

Sol hadn’t expected Orii to be so receptive to him when he lifted her against the wall, but he enjoyed greatly that she did. As her legs wrapped around him, his hardened length twitched and strengthened against her as their ardor reached a fever pitch once again. As Orii shifted to more closely fit with him, he gasped as he felt an incredible warmth encroaching around the tip of his manhood. His body tightened with anticipation and his cock stiffened to the same metal-like rigidity it had taken before. Her whimper of need filled him with even more lust, his hips craving to drive him to the hilt in her and a low growl of need left him as he resisted the urges. Small gyrations stirred her entrance as his hips shifted and swayed, indicative of both his craving and restraint. Nearly half an inch of him sank into her before she lifted and released herself from him carefully and he didn’t struggle against it, no matter how much he wanted to.

Her inner turmoil reflected in his own eyes as he felt her forehead rest against his own and he brushed his nose against hers sweetly. Her words made his heart skip for a moment and a broad smile spread over his lips and he looked deep into her teal hues with his smoldering golden hues, love clearly drawn in his features and on his soul. It was easily apparent how much he craved for her flesh, but more so he wanted her time, her companionship, and her love. As she asked him to put her down, he obliged slowly but took her lips in a slow, romantic kiss as he did so. “Of course, we have all the time in the universe to enjoy each other, my dearest. I want us to build to our union, my love, and not rush headlong into what should be savored,” his voice was equally uneasy, though it seemed his restraint required great strain on his own behalf in order to resist her allure. Reaching to grab their towels, Sol handed one to her and then began to dry himself off with the other and he covered himself around the waist with the fabric, which did little to hide the raging hard-on he had.

“I hope Bella stayed out,” he said with a slightly embarrassed tone, grinning from ear to ear at Oriane as he went towards the bathroom door slowly, waiting until she too was ready to leave the room before heading out into the hall. Quickly, he’d slip into the bedroom and he grabbed his Second Skin, which had changed to a blue indicator light signaling its readiness to be donned once again. Dropping the towel, he pressed the button which would unfurl the suit into the outline of his body, though expanded and open in the back before he stepped up into it and the suit began to knit itself together against his back as it contracted to fit his flesh perfect. Amusingly enough, it held against the skin of his erection much like a pair of tight boxer-briefs might and so the usually sleek outfit had a discernable bulge jutting from the front. However, it seemed he was finally and slowly calming down as the suit continued to contract around him until it was fully prepared against his skin, and the runes and circuitry within began to glow softly with their red and blue hues, respectively. Sol then began to place the plates of the Erisian-Tech armor over the Second Skin and each piece seemed to lock onto him through some unseen mechanism, though perhaps it was merely a powerful magnetic bond. Soon enough, the mercenary was dressed in the powerful armor in which she’d first borne witness to him and, with his golden hair now contrasting with the black and white tones of the armor.
 
He had said it back. Oriane’s heart flipped in her chest at the thrill of the same endearment being used. Two little words made her feel like she could fly and the almost giddy excitement was hard to contain. Sol had never once hid his feelings for her. From the tender care of his touch, the unselfish way he poured every emotion he felt when he kissed her, making it known in nothing but a kiss, to the way his eyes heated when he looked at her. Sol never left her wondering, his openness with her complete at least, when it came to his emotions. Some things, like her safety or why he’d come to the station he’d hidden, but she understood that the right time to bring them up had never come. But, to hear the words my love? To know that those feelings she felt, were not just imagined in his gaze or his touch… That this wasn’t some sort of beautiful dream she was endanger of waking from?

Set on her feet once more, with that same sort of reluctance she always felt to be out of his reach, some part of them not touching was evident as she was lowered and a part of her wanted to retract her statement, throw her resolve to the wind and stoke the fire that burned between them until the inferno reached a fervent pitch neither could resist any longer. The temptation was all but too real. So when the towel was handed to her and he didn’t buff her skin dry, or allow her the same pleasure, Oriane bit back the pout that wanted to form. She couldn’t help what Sol tempted from her, that unbridled desire, she’d never known before. She could help by not making things harder on them both. It was no secret that they longed for one another, that if she didn’t stop him, or he didn’t know her desire to not rush headlong into bed, that they’d have slept together likely the night before, if not this morning. Neither was unaware of the desires the other had. Biting her lower lip she kissed his shoulder before beginning to buff her skin dry in the same efficient manner. She couldn’t help the flirtatious comment that slipped from her as she dried. “I think you’ve broken me”

His comment caused her to pause and then groan, one of mortal embarrassment that Bellamere might have heard them either time. “Please no. When we get a house, she needs to be well away from us!” She looked at him with a flush in her cheeks, the carmine color nearly the same shade as her hair as Oriane thought about it. “Promise you will keep it in mind?” Hanging her towel up she followed him into the main living area, naked as a jaybird. In the past, Oriane might not have been so bold, Sol bringing that out in her. “If Maman walked in right now, I think I would just die” Her tone was playful even as she brushed past him, fishing out a matching bra and panty set of blue and teal lace. Orii had never had anyone to take pleasure in her undergarments but herself, but she’d always liked to buy things that made her feel good. The panties faded from deep blue to a bright real, the lace delicate, the space between a fine mesh. The bra faded upwards and much like the panties was made of lace and mesh. Bending over, she stepped into the panties, pulling them up along her calves, thighs, over her rear before they settled snugly around her hips. Pulling the bra on, Oriane couldn’t resist turning to him and lifting her hair. “Sol, if you wouldn’t mind?” She smiled softly, teeth holding her lush lower lip captive as she smiled at him shyly. The request was mostly innocent, if not deeply intimate at the same time.

When he stepped in closer, she began to purr, the reaction involuntary. Purring for her was much like her flames, something she couldn’t stop, even if she’d wanted too. The rumble of sound was gentle, vibrating along her throat in a pleased tone. “Thank you” dressed at least somewhat, Oriane reached for her tablet. There was very little chance she wouldn’t have to work, she knew this, but she couldn't help but hope at the same time that she didn’t have to. Several work orders had already been put in and she sighed. “Looks like I will be busy till at least lunch time…” Moving to her small closet she pulled out a taupe coverall and a black tank top. Slipping the tank top over her head, she pulled it down before stepping into the coveralls. Pulling them up she buttoned the front before hunting down her socks and a pair of teal low top converse. Oriane moved with a simple efficiency, humming softly as she moved about the small room and him. Her hair was braided away from her face till the back of her head and then pulled into a high ponytail, smaller braids framing her face to either side. The look vaguely viking, but with a feminine twist.

Dressed at least she smiled at him. “We normally grab breakfast before we go to work… Feel up to a mini breakfast date? My treat” They often went to a little french stall, getting a honey, ham and egg croissant was her normal go to as well as a coffee. “I will even take you to my favorite place” She knew she didn’t need to tempt Sol into agreeing, but it was fun to offer up a small part of herself, her routine to him. She wiggled backwards as she faced him, leaning forward slightly, her rear pushed out some, in the direction of the door. “Least I can do if you’re going to buy us a house to live in and all.”
 
Every ounce of self-control he had went into setting her on her feet and the reluctance she displayed made him wish to scoop her right back up and ravish her without end. However, he remained stoic in the face of unabashed desire; though, she would see what he truly wanted as his eyes slowly scanned over her form and his nostrils flared with deeper breaths as his cheeks flushed ever so slightly. As she kissed his shoulder, he leaned into her a little and gave a happy chuckle. “Oh, have I, now? Perhaps I should kiss you all better,” he responded to her flirtatiousness with a tease of his own as he leaned down to kiss her between her brows. At her insistence for Bellamere to have a room far away from theirs, Sol nodded with a grin as he looked at the way her form moved with such lovely grace; even when as bare as the day she was born. “Of course, of course. I’m going to find us a place where we have rooms on the opposite ends of the home and our own bathrooms so there’ll be no risk,” he said with a grin as he nodded affirmatively. “Well, hopefully, she stays out because I need you to stay alive, love.”

Sol couldn’t help but appreciate the choice in undergarments she made and even stopped what he was doing to ogle her plainly as she bent over and stepped into the panties. His lust-filled eyes followed them up as she slipped the lace panties over her curvy hips. “Oh, for fuck’s sake!” he growled through clenched teeth, though the exclamation could be easily heard as one of boiling desire suppressed within him rather than frustration or annoyance. As she beckoned him, he was on his way only at the sound of his name and was already grabbing each side of the clasp in his fingers as he leaned down and kissed her firmly, suckling her lower lip from her teeth. He didn’t need to watch to fasten the bra, doing so adeptly as he felt the purr rumbling from her throat. Slowly, he broke away and licked his lips a little as he gave an appreciative once-over of her physique. “As I said, that’ll give me an opportunity to do some things I need to; not as though I want time apart from you. Would that I could take you everywhere with me, but some places are more dangerous than I'd like you to be,” he was warm and sincere as he watched her dress and finished dressing. At the last, he put his hair back into that tight, low ponytail which kept all but a few locks in the front captive.

With both of them dressed, she offered breakfast to him and he gave an eager nod. “How could I possibly refuse you, my love?” he asked as he scooped her up beneath her arms and gave her one more affectionate kiss as he spun her around once, then twice before setting her back to the floor and parted his warm lips from hers. Saying that to her merely emboldened that feeling within him, and he was astonished at how wonderful he felt for it. As he began to follow her, his armor plates lightly clanking off of each other. The amalgams it was constructed of made it quieter than traditional metals, though it was never fully silent. Sol was quite amused by her posturing towards the door and how she wiggled in encouragement or excitement, a wry grin on his face which wrinkled the corners of his eyes. “You know, I don’t mind doing this at all. In fact, it’s rather selfish of me because then I get even more space to share with you,” he told her affectionately as his eyes glimmered brightly, the mote of energy orbiting around him at a fairly quick pace which indicated his heightened emotions.

As they got to the door, Sol gestured towards her to step aside as he wanted to step out first in case anything untoward was going on outside. “As a precaution, I’d like to go first, just in case someone is staking us out,” he said to her as he reached up and caressed her cheek with his fingertips. His Second Skin meant she wasn’t feeling his actual skin, but the membrane was very similar in feel and texture. Sol reached for the door and opened it, stepping out and seeing nothing out of sorts as he slowly scanned around. Once he was sure everything was fine, he gestured to Orii and beamed brightly as he reached his hand out. “We’re in the clear, darling,” he was happy to tell her so and as she came to greet him, he took her hand in his and laced their fingers as he grinned further. “I’m excited to try this food you have in mind. You and I seem to have very similar tastes in that regard so I’m certain I’ll enjoy it. Lead the way, Orii,” he proclaimed as he fell in step alongside her, taking smaller strides in order to not tax her shorter gait.
 
The idea of letting him kiss her all back sounded sweet, though Oriane missed the flirtatious tone, or rather what it implied. The warm kiss pressed between her eyebrows, drew a smile from her, the curl of her lips slow and deliberate as he pulled back. His plans had her giving pause and she shook her head slowly. “That seems silly in the end run” It was all she offered at first as she held his gaze. Her teal eyes shimmered, golden flecks dancing in the pool of aquamarine. She let her thoughts play through her eyes, or rather her desire for him; there were flickers of her need too, her breath giving the softest of hitches. The look was salacious to say the least and perhaps the first time she’d let all of that lust fill her eyes, the raw scintillating need for him exposed without a filter of shyness “To start it makes sense, but at some point, we will need to redecorate” Chuckling, the mood she’d let herself fall into not fully gone she winked at him. “I trust you to resuscitate me”

She’d turned to dress and when the low growling words left him she paused, asking him for his assistance. There was a glow to her that said she’d liked that growled oath and as his mouth found hers, she leaned up into the kiss… She’d had begun to think she was getting the hang of kissing him, but Sol seemed to have no endless supply of tricks that made her blood sing. As he pulled back, her lower lip was rosy from his attention, her eyes slightly unfocused; her eyes watching him as he looked her over and there was nothing that could stop the way her thighs pulled together, rubbing together to try and soothe the way her body was responding. That ache was back, throbbing with lusty need that only Sol could cure. Blushing, Oriane had turned to finish dressing, needing the distraction and the small barrier her clothing provided. The seal already cracked, Oriane was finding her resistance, to go slower tested; the razor thin line between her desires mingling till it was hard at times to remember why she’d wanted to go slower.

“I don't like that you’d go to those places” Her words were admitted, her tone was apprehensive. “I understand though, and if I was there, you’d worry about me more than yourself” Before last night, it might have taken her longer to understand that, but Sol had taken a bullet for her, literally. “And you already promised to keep safe” She smiled “At least as safe as you can” Her face sobered a touch and her eyes sought him out. “Sol, I can’t lose you, when I have just found you. If something happens try and make it back to that spot I took you last night. If you’re missing, it will be the first place I look” She took a moment before offering "If I am injured or afraid for some reason, I will go there too"

Letting the topic drop, too serious for the morning, even if it had needed to be said for her peace of mind, she’d offered him breakfast. Kissing him back, Oriane’s laughter was bright and her smile radiant as he spun her, her arms slipping around his neck. She held him captive for a moment longer, reveling in the words for a moment before she released him. Chuckling she smiled again, fangs flashing at the broad, joyous grin. His mote appeared and she giggled. “Think me weird, but I still want to name your mote. I know it’s just part of you, but it seems to almost have it’s own personality..” She wrinkled her nose playfully at him. “I also have the oddest desire to touch it.” Oriane could have told him why she desired the latter, mostly because a part of her still struggled to not see it as a separate entity. Orii wanted to pet it…

When Sol motioned to her to step aside she blinked, but did as he asked without question. Her lips formed a slight of, when he explained. Nodding she smiled softly. “Of course love” Where there might have been an indulgent tone, there was nothing but the saccharine warmth of love for his cautious nature and his clearly protective streak. The touch to her cheek was nuzzled into and she purred softly, before pressing a kiss into the tips of his fingers. She could feel the difference and while she would have preferred to touch of his skin more, she understood the need for the suit. She waited, patiently as Sol scanned for danger and only moved as he motioned for her, her hand finding his outstretched one, her fingers lacing with his own, her thumb brushing over his own, the touch father light and continuous. As they began to walk, she cuddled into him a bit more. Much like before, her eyes were for him alone, the looks of others, the jealousy that some felt, Oriane was oblivious. “I think you will like it, but I am not going to tell you what sort of food it is.” Her voice was effervescent, her happiness filling each word. Tugging him into the lift she lifted her face slightly, speaking to the station's systems. “Market, please”

As the lift sped them upwards, she bit the inside of her cheek, eyes on him. The teal and gold in her eyes danced mischievously. “Do you trust me?” Her smile was innocent as the doors opened and she tugged him from the lift eagerly. “Mmm good!” She nodded to the fountain near the middle of the part of the market they’d exited the lift from. “Go sit over there, I am going to get you what I normally have” Lifting her free hand, she rested her hand on his chest and turned, her hand gently pulling free of his own. “I know you might worry but I will be just over there” She pointed in the direction of the stall. “And I will only be a few minutes.” With that she rose on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth before slipping away from him in the throng of people.

True to her word she was only a few minutes, a small bag dangled off one arm and she held a coffee in each hand as she squirmed through the crowds, to sit beside him. The fountain behind him was a whirlpool, the water contained within a glass cylinder, the water within a tempest of movement. Handing him a coffee, she sat beside him. The coffee was iced, and a soft caramel color. It was a dark chocolate mocha, infused with cayenne pepper for a slight kick. Pulling out a breakfast sandwich. Within the simple white paper was a buttery croissant, flaky layers holding egg, ham and a drizzle of honey within. Lifting her own coffee to her lips she took a sip and watched him with eager eyes.
 
Sol enjoyed the obvious desire which ran rampant through her gaze and he grinned happily as his lust reflected an equal measure of hers. Those golden flecks told him of how heightened she was and his breaths came deep and controlled in order to keep himself from pouncing on her once again. “Indeed, we should put our own personal touch on it. We will take some time to do so, though,” he said warmly as he looked at her and he then grinned at her next statement. “I am pretty good at mouth-to-mouth, you can rely on me, babe,” he returned the playfulness with a wink. As she kissed him back, Sol was elated to feel how much more comfortable she seemed with kissing him, now. She’d never seemed particularly uncomfortable, though, just that she seemed to be allowing herself to dive deeper in. He didn’t miss the way her thighs rubbed together and his eyes betrayed his thoughts as he again had to fight against the urge to rip her clothes off and claim her once and for all.

“I must go to these places, love. It’s my job,” he said to her as he smiled softly and he looked at her and listened closely to her words. At her instruction that they were to go to that viewing area if either of them were ever injured, he nodded in agreement. “That would be a good idea. There seemed to be little traffic that moved through there, if at all,” he said to her as he smiled, his eyes sealing the agreement with their warm glimmer. He loved how she laughed when he spun her around and he couldn’t help but join in a little on her reverie, their laughter echoing a bit as he smiled and nudged his stubbly cheek gently against hers. “Well, I’m sure I won’t mind you naming it, so if you want to, go ahead. I never thought to name it myself, though...It’s kind of an extension of me, so I think of it as just that,” he said with a chuckle though he added, “I do agree that it seems to act of its own volition at times. And, you should be able to touch it, as it is a ball of plasma. Plus, you stood within my supernova and lived so I think you’re just as fireproof as I am.”

Once she interlocked her fingers with his, he smiled and stroked her thumb softly and slowly, mimicking her continuous motions as he pulled her closer subconsciously. As they walked, they were close enough to touch and brush each other and his smile beamed radiantly. However, his eyes kept vigil as well as taking the opportunities, when able, to drink her in. “I bet it will be good. You have very good taste, if I do say so myself,” he replied in an ebullient tone, his small crows’ feet wrinkled with his persistent grin. As they stepped within the lift, Sol heard her command them towards the market and he shifted eagerly and pulled her closer to himself as they stood within. His arm wrapped around her shoulder and held her close as they traveled. “With all my heart,” he replied sweetly as his eyes gleamed with anticipation. ‘What is that mischievous look all about?’ he wondered as he tilted his head a little bit and he found himself being tugged from the lift. He laughed without care as he looked at her and he nodded at her instruction as he reluctantly let go of her hand. “As long as you’re within eyesight, I can kill anyone who tries to harm you,” he threatened protectively as he smiled and nodded slowly, wrapping his hand around the small of her back as she rose to kiss the corner of his mouth but he turned his face at the last moment to kiss her more directly with a cheeky grin.

As she slipped away, Sol walked over towards the fountain and sat at one of the platforms off to the right side of the stall. His eyes stayed locked on her carmine locks, watching for her safety with a deep intensity and a concentrated look on his face. Each moment that passed, his focus never left her for a second before she approached with a bag and two coffees and he laughed excitedly. “Oh, bless you. I enjoy coffee very much,” he said happily as he took the cup from her as she took a seat next to him. His arm reflexively wrapped around her and pulled her against his side and he took a slow draw from the coffee, feeling the spice hit his tongue at the same time as the sweetness and he gave a shocked, “Mmmm!” It was very pleasant to him, though and he took a bigger sip before beaming at her. “Well, that’s delicious and unique! Now, on to the sandwich,” he could smell the layers of butter and pastry already and his stomach growled with need as he unwrapped the paper. “Bon appetit!” he proclaimed before taking a hearty bite from the sandwich and he exclaimed in delight with his mouth closed. He chewed for a few moments before swallowing and he nodded quickly, “Yeah, you’ve got amazing tastes, Orii.”

He leaned in towards her and kissed her cheek where it met her jaw and brushed his stubbly chin against her jawline before pulling back and having another sip of the coffee, alternating between drinking and eating with a pleased look on his face. He would set one or the other down as his other arm remained firmly wrapped around her waist, holding her tight as his fingers played a sweet rhythm on her hip. As they sat there, Sol marveled at the number of people that passed their vision, though, most of his attention focused solely on that new center of his universe. Sol paused after eating most of his food and drinking the majority of the coffee and he looked at her with emotion swimming in his eyes. “Oriane, I just want you to know that I can’t recollect a time when I’d been happier. And, I wanted to thank you for giving this feeling to me. Truly, I appreciate all that you are, my love,” his tone was steadfast and earnest as he couldn’t help but to smile broadly and expose his pearly whites.

Out in public, he was noticeably more tense and alert and she could feel that sentinel-like energy emanating from him as he occasionally scanned the area. He’d never said if anything had happened which made him constantly on guard like this, or if it was merely his desire to protect her from further harm. However, he didn’t allow it to diminish his attentiveness to her too much and he still seemed to thoroughly enjoy the breakfast despite that air of defense which he produced. Perhaps this was just the way he was, though, and he enjoyed being that bastion against which all her problems would crash. Once he’d finished with the food and drink, he gave a happy sigh and leaned his head against hers a little bit and he drew a deep breath of her in. “I hope the time where we're apart quickly passes.”
 
The idea of building a home with him, even if it was just their shared room gave Orii something to look forward to, a closer goal; it rested behind meeting him in the afternoon and then even after house shopping. It was silly and domestic and something about it appealed to her. Oriane found herself wondering what his aesthetic might look like and when they added theirs together, what it might become. Oriane tended to prefer bold colors with dark woods or on the other end of the spectrum soft pastels and blacks and grays; no matter which she felt at the time there was a touch of whimsy and femininity that were almost always present. Giggling she bit her lower lip, smiling as he teased her back. “You don’t say.. Perhaps I shall have to try fainting around you” The silliness made her giggled again, knowing that should she desire a kiss from Sol, she need only ask or take to receive one. Sol seemed just as eager to kiss her as she did him… among other things. She didn’t miss the way his eyes seemed to darken as he picked up on the little queues her body gave him of her own lingering lust that had yet to fade.

When he’d told her that he needed to go to the places she wished he didn’t have to she nodded and smiled softly, the sweetness of her smile coming with ease to her face. “I know. But I cannot help but not like it” Her tone took on a slightly pouty cadence, unable to help it from coming out. “Mm, no one ever goes down there. That particular level is abandoned, I have never seen anyone else there. I think people are under the impression it doesn’t have a sustainable atmosphere” She didn’t know why that seemed to be the general thought, she’d done nothing to dissuade the thought however, enjoying her little secret place far too much to go blabbing that the level was perfectly habitable.

When Sol said he wouldn’t mind her naming his mote, her smile was near breathtaking as her joy lit up her face. “Really?” There was little doubt now that likely by the end of the day, if not the end of the hour, his mote would have a new name. If it was possible, Oriane’s smile grew as he said she could touch it. She didn’t right away, but looked at him, still beaming. “Well, you think I am a Fénix, so that would make sense I suppose” She knew very little about the race Sol thought her to be, but as far she knew there was every little to be known, the race was not so much secretive as hunted to the brink of extinction. It was perhaps why the hunters the night before had not tried to harm her at least not at first, she would be worth a medium sized world. Her kind was invaluable as a fuel source for ships, if she was indeed a Fénix. Little else was known about them, because it wasn’t their use as fuel that had driven them to that brink. Something else had and whatever it was, had not been documented.

Her laughter in the lift had been jubilant and bounced back at them as Orii had gazed into his eyes, snuggled into his side tightly. “Mmmm and is that because I have you?” Her tone lighthearted as she teased him. And when he had instructed her to say in eyesight, Oriane had nodded solemnly. “I promise” Though that solemnity had been lost the moment he stole the kiss. Giggling as her lips pressed to his she lingered a moment longer than perhaps polite in public before lowering herself once more. When Oriane was happy she had a glow about her, and when she was with Sol, it seemed to never diminish. “Cad!” Giggling as she’d sauntered into the crowd of people, weaving between them with a nimbleness. She didn’t turn to make sure he could see her, she could feel the touch of his eyes. It was comforting, the feel of his gaze on her.

Giggling she smiled. “I can’t start a morning without it” The secret was admitted in an exaggerated whisper, and she smiled as he pulled her into him. She liked the way he did that, for she enjoyed that closeness as much as he did. Snuggling herself into him, she purred softly, waiting for him to try both before she started in on her own. While her coffee choice would rotate, she almost always had this sandwich from the little bistro. When he had tried the coffee, Oriane had beamed, glad he liked it. Bellamere had not been quite the fan and Orii would reluctantly admit that it wasn’t normal, but she liked the bold flavors paired with the bitterness and sweetness of the coffee. Giving a delighted little clap as he proclaimed the sandwich and her tastes in general to be amazing she grinned. “Oh, I am so glad you liked them!” When Sol leaned into her, his lips brushing her cheek Oriane began to purr and she nuzzled him back, much like an eager little kitten.

She took her time with her breakfast, drawing out the little time they could before they separated for the day to attend to their own tasks. She was lifting her coffee to her lips as he looked at her, her face turning towards him. His words made the lines of her face soften, her eyes taking on a dreamy quality. “It is not one sided Sol… I have never known a time like this either and I think, if it had not been now, we would have found one another some other way.” She truly believed this, they were too well matched. “No need to thank me for giving freely what is already yours love” She cuddled herself closer into him. She could feel that difference in his form, and it wasn’t his armor. She understood without any issue why. He was worried for her and had she not been there, she doubted he’d been any less vigilant. As a bounty hunter, he needed this sort of vigilance. Oriane was just happy she got to see that sweet, softer side of Sol, when no one else was around.

Food finished, she was content for a little while longer to snuggle into him; an attempt to stretch the time a little longer. When his head was pressed to her own, her eyes closed. “How could it not? If you're not with me, time shall surely accelerate, just so we can be together once more.” She still smelled very much like him, it was a comfort to her and when she pulled back, there was that same reluctance to her movements. “I should go” Standing she looked down at him, barely taller than him as he sat. Gently she pushed her way between his thighs before cupping his face in her hands she lowered her own towards his. Oriane’s kiss was slow, loving and deliberate; it also did nothing to soothe that aching need she still felt. When she finally pulled back, her cheeks were flushed with blush. “Mmmm” Her forehead rested to his for a moment before she pulled back. “I need to go, if I don’t I will find a way to spend all day in your arms.”

With that she pulled away once more. She wanted nothing more than to do what she said. Spend the day in his embrace, but they both needed to get to work. Walking away she turned to wave at him once more before slipping into the crowd. Oriane could feel his eyes on her until she rounded a corner; the loss of that feeling made her want to turn back. Instead she stepped into a lift and let the doors close around her. It was only half a day and then they’d be together once more. She could do this. It was funny how sobering his absence was, how deeply she missed him, even though it had been less than a handful of minutes.
 
Sol himself thought of how they would get along with decorating together, thinking on how her style might blend with his. Sol enjoyed contrasting colors, deep tones against lighter colors and he enjoyed both dark and light woods in a blend that would be considered as sophisticated and contemporary. “You silly girl. You don’t need to faint to get these lips on yours,” he pushed the tease even further as he looked at her, laughing heartily and warmly. “It’s your right not to like it...I’m just trying to assure you that I will exercise the utmost caution,” he replied as he watched her intently. “Well, hopefully, they continue to think that and we can maintain our little secret rendezvous point."

It made him feel delighted that she was so happy upon him allowing her to name his mote and he beamed in return as the corners of his eyes wrinkled a little. “I’m fairly certain you are one, it’s not just a thought. And, that fact makes you far more precious and not just to me,” he corrected her warmly and softly as he looked at her. He knew the Fénix race had, for one reason or another, all but disappeared and were valuable as sources of nearly limitless fuel for large starship reactors. He hoped to keep that information from her, not wanting her to have another thing to concern herself with. He merely laughed as she called him a ‘cad’ and he looked at her, enchanted by that glowing aura she always seemed to have when he was near. His own little mote moved faster around his head when she was as well, signifying his happiness at her.

Sol delighted at her being close to him and the fact she relished it so just made him like it that much more. His fingers traced against her hips, playing affectionate little rhythms as he beamed and ate slowly. It seemed he, too, was taking his time in order to extend the amount of time they were together. “Well, you did pick them so it stood to reason that I would likely enjoy them,” he said with a grin and he enjoyed the way she nuzzled into him as he continued to be exuberant in her presence. “I think we would have too. We were fated to be together, Orii,” he agreed with her and added his own personal idea of the notion. As she snuggled closer to him, Sol warmed and nestled his head down into her hair and drew a deep breath of her. For a moment, he relaxed his guard so he could more fully appreciate her and he hadn’t regretted it as his head slowly moved back to vigil.

“I agree. Time should pass faster merely because our natural state is together and the universe demands it of us,” he said with a grin, not sounding insincere in the slightest. When she started to withdraw from him, he let his fingers linger upon her for as long as he could as he nodded with understanding. As Oriane took the initiative to kiss him, a broad smile crossed his lips as he slowly closed his eyes to savor the kiss as he returned every ounce of love, toking her lower lip softly as his fingers dug softly into her hip with an affectionate squeeze. His own cheeks had mildly flushed as well when she pulled away and he chuckled happily before settling into a warm ‘Mmmmm…’ of his own. “I know, my love. And, if you don’t, I will gladly spend my entire day cradling you.”

As she left, he couldn’t help but feel that pang of need to go with her, but he allowed her to slip away as he returned her wave. Truly, he would have been more than happy to do nothing but laze about with her and tend to her and his own whims. Sol watched as she disappeared around the corner and he felt a strange loneliness he’d never felt even in all of his interstellar travels. However, it brought him a slow smile as he realized how deeply he must feel for her if it meant he valued her presence so highly. “I think I’m in love,” he said to himself as he chuckled and stood slowly from his seated position and began to jauntily whistle as he made his way down a nearby roadway. Absently, he wandered as he used his neural interface to scour the Intellinet for bounties listed, of which he began to parse through and cross-reference data until he found one for a relatively modest sum which he felt he’d be able to complete within the morning. The target was easily found within the Intellinet, which made it quite easy for Sol to determine what his habits were and where he tended to go and when.

After that, it was a simple matter of tracing his footsteps and, before too long, Sol had cornered the man in an alley and apprehended him without too much of a fight. That took a few hours out of his day, and he’d made just enough money to justify his next purchase. Sol spent the next few hours searching through electronics shops before finding a communicator which he thought suited Orii well. It was an elegant bracelet of silver and bronze, with a ruby embedded within the center of it and surrounded by intricate metalwork. Within, it contained all the necessary components to where she would be able to send messages, receive calls, and give her exact location to whomever she deemed worthy enough to have access. It also had a holoprojector, much like his own embedded communicator, which she would be able to use to display messages and the like much in the same manner Sol had. After having it gift-wrapped with deep purple paper, Sol hummed happily to himself as he began to make his way back towards the main thoroughfare of the Market. It seemed easier to him for them to meet at the lifts there and then continue on to the Boughs. Sol didn’t seem to be any worse for wear, seeming just as fresh and bright-eyed as when she’d left him. The only difference seemed to be the obvious present which he’d held to his side as he waited to catch sight of the lovely crimson waves of hair, his mote circling slowly around his head.
 
The sparkle of flame and metal flashed before the shield mask as she worked on joining two pipes together. While she was fireproof through and through, her eyes were not any different than anyone else’s. The bright light that was produced from welding was radiating white hot glow, akin to staring into the sun. Oriane might have been what amounted to a human shaped sun herself, but the light still hurt her. As she worked through her docket of tasks, her mind slipped back to Sol and their morning. Their morning had been a pleasant one. From their sweet flirting to her desire to buy him breakfast, to the way she’d woken up and then… the shower. Pausing she let the glow fade from her hands and lifted her visor, lifting her bottle of water as she slowly traced her morning from the start to now.

Waking in Sol’s arms, cradled close to him like she was precious had been endearingly sweet. She hadn’t even minded the hard length of him pressing into her. Smiling softly Oriane took a seat. Nor had she minded the way they had touched one another, the way she’d made Sol, a well known bounty hunter react to her inquisitive touches. Biting her lower lip Oriane smiled proudly at the memory. He had not been the only one to tremble she recalled. Sol’s hands had skillfully traced her form before settling between her thighs. Perhaps it was good she was alone down here, no one could see the way her cheeks flushed. Orii also allowed herself to remember that feeling as she fought it and then the blissful glow after. Perhaps it was a reason for her good mood; her interstellar good mood.

Taking another long sip of her water she closed her eyes and allowed the morning to move to the shower. The way his fingers had felt against her scalp and the way that she’d wished Sol would touch more of her. That resolve to wait still there, she knew that… Because when Sol had pinned her to the wall of the shower and she’d eagerly wrapped her legs around him like they belonged there, around his waist. Squirming on her bench slightly Oriane sighed. Then there had been that feeling as he’d slipped into her. Goddess, she’d wanted nothing more than to feel the full length of him inside her… Even now, alone and far from him, she felt that need rise once more like a tsunami inside her. Sol had respected her wishes, even knowing they both had wanted it. She’d heard that growl and could feel it’s echo reverberate in her bones. There had been more, like the growly oath as she bent over. Alone, Oriane could admit she might have done it on purpose, just a little bit. There was a certain power that she felt when she could draw such sounds from him. She couldn't help but wonder if he minded.

Then there had been their breakfast. Oraine opened her eyes, grinning ear from ear like a fool. She had loved the way he kept her close while they ate. Cuddled into him… The sweet little touches.. Like when he had buried his face in her hair. She had felt it, if only for a moment, Sol had relaxed as he’d breathed her in. Biting her lower lip she took a deep breath. She still smelled like him. It was like having him there with her, the idea comforting when the feel of his eyes was nowhere to be felt. There was also what he’d said shortly before she’d left. They were fated to be together. She agreed, with her very being, that they were meant to meet. Blushing, Orii tucked a stray lock behind her ear. It was more than meeting though, they had been made for one another. But that was enough daydreaming… As her day progressed she spent a large amount of her time thinking up a name for his mote.

Oriane had a plan. Finishing her work a little early she had headed home, which had been a wise decision, for she was covered in sweat and grime by the end. She had no doubt Sol would have loved to see her, even as such, but it wasn’t going to be just him. They were going to The Celestial Boroughs… She knew Sol would have protected her from any looks or harsh words, but they would be living there, which meant fighting with their neighbors because they were snobs, was not in their best interest. So, Oriane had snuck home, washed with her soap, and put on a pretty dress. It was a deep blue, with white flowers printed along it. The bust was fitted and clung every so slightly to her breasts and stomach before flaring and inch or so before her hips into a loose and flowy skirt that fell to mid thigh. Thin straps vanished over her shoulders and other delicate straps held the open back closed, as they crossed over the delicate lines of her back. Her hair fell loose around her shoulders and down her back, in soft waves. She’d not bothered with any makeup and only added a pair of white heels, that wrapped around her ankles. While they would make her taller, she’d still be a fair bit shorter than Sol, something she found she quite enjoyed.

Stepping out of the lift she held back a giggle, as she took him in, looking outwards for her. “Like a ninja, she sneaks up on her prey” There was no way to hold back the warm laughter that was lingering in her voice as she slipped arms around his waist, cuddling herself against his back. Nuzzling her cheek gently against his hair she breathed the scent of him in and purred softly. “I never knew I could miss someone so much” Slipping around to his front she bit her lower lip shyly. "I hope you're not mad, but I went home to shower and change. I am pretty sure you wouldn't mind much the fact that I was all sweaty.." She trailed off, gazing up into his golden eyes. "Did you have a nice day?"
 
As Sol lingered at that grandest of entries, surrounded on all sides by different smells, sights, foods, and peoples, there was merely one thing which persisted to him. Oriane had become a lightning rod for his attraction, demanding his attention— but not overtly— while showing him an equal measure of attentiveness. No one in his life had ever driven him so passionately, so deeply, and so lustfully. Even apart from her, he felt a fervor like he’d never experienced and his one desire was to make it possible for them to be closer while building their happiness to whatever peaks he could. As he thought of her, nothing could stop the slow reminiscing of their morning together, which had been replaying in his mind over and over again. After all, she was the sole reason he was as pleased as he was on this day; it wasn’t often you were happy to defy or fail a contract. Luckily for him, he’d not taken through an official board, otherwise, he’d be subject to a penalty.

Sol remembered waking to Oriane’s soft teasing, how she nibbled at his earlobe after calling his name with her lovely voice. He remembered how elated he’d felt knowing he’d not just imagined the entire previous day and that she was a living, breathing, stunning woman who somehow grew as enthralled with him as he had with her. Indeed, he felt again that urge to label them as ‘soulmates’ as a warm grin spread over his face. He thought of how innocent and shy her exploration of him had begun and how sensual it turned as if she were naturally attuned to derive pleasure from him. He remembered how supple and yielding her flesh was beneath his fingers, how it sprung back eagerly and how she begged him not to continue with her mouth but urged him forward with her body. Sol rather enjoyed that dichotomy, much more so than he might openly admit.

Then, their ‘shared’ shower which he had the distinct pleasure of washing those beautiful ruby locks of hers. Sol hadn’t told her, but he loved the feeling of her hair running through his fingers. Her strands felt like cool threads of silk bundled together in waves which left him with a delightful sensation. Then, he remembered what happened after they’d washed and he’d pinned her against the wall with only the intention of kissing her. However, he’d barely slipped into her and, at that moment, struggled harder than he’d ever done before in order to not claim her fully right there. He’d not noticed it, but it took enough of his focus that his mote very briefly winked out of existence before showing back up a split second later. Further teases and lascivious looks were exchanged and enjoyed before they’d finally departed for breakfast. He thought of how she chose foods that she enjoyed so thoroughly and wished to share with him. He found the gesture to be very sweet. He couldn’t help the way he held her, touched her, and experienced her. He needed to— almost like an addict, craving their next hit— and he wasn’t about to ignore the compulsion.

As Oriane approached him, he wasn’t fully aware of her coming from behind and his face still held upon it the evidence of his pleasant recollection. Suddenly, he felt her arms around him with gleeful laughter and he knew instantly it was she and, what would have been a reflex to punch her in the face rather became a soft lean towards her. “Likewise, my darling. It was like a sucking wound in my chest which cried to be filled,” he agreed with her as he craned his head back in an attempt to lay his eyes on her beautiful form. However, he’d not needed to bother as she began to slip around to his front, where he immediately wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her close. “Oh, why would I be mad at you, my love?” he asked as he drew her scent in deep and wrapped one arm around the small of her back.

“I did have a great day. I managed to complete an official bounty and I also got you something special,” his excitement was palpable in his tone as he beamed from ear to ear. Though, before he produced her gift, he leaned down towards her as he gazed deep into her teal hues and he kissed her romantically and slowly. “Mmmm...I really missed you,” he muttered softly to her, his tone carrying a low heat, as he broke the kiss after a few moments, and his eyes slowly opened with that same warmth that he carried earlier. “You look ravishing,” he complimented her as he looked at himself in his armor; certainly grand but not in the same way hers was. Though, he was grateful for the concealment it offered for he’d grown more than a little frisky from his steamy remembrance. Slowly, he lifted the hand which held the purple parcel and he laughed excitedly as he offered it to her. “Well, go ahead! I hope you enjoy it!” he said giddily as he bit the corner of his lip a little to reserve a bit of his excitement.

As she unwrapped it, the box within contained the beautiful communicator bracelet(similar make, but with an inlaid ruby and bronze accents) which he’d picked out for her and he beamed as he began to explain as she opened the box. “So, that’s simultaneously a piece of jewelry and a communicator, like the one I have implanted in my skin. Yours works much the same as mine as you can make and receive calls, browse the Intellinet, and track the location of people you know who allow you to, as well as to be tracked by people you allow. They’re powered simply by the heat of your body so you should have no problems with it ever running out of juice. I already took the liberty of ensuring it was completely wiped and clean before I bought it and I’ve already programmed in my contact information so all you have to do is learn to use it,” he was energetic— nearly frenetic— as he rambled about the piece of technology so longwindedly. After she’d put it on, Sol made it a point to show her the simple gesture commands one used in order to access each of the functions, most of it being as easy as just passing your finger in a certain direction over the surface of the communicator.

After those initial moments of excitement and exchange, Sol looked over towards the lifts and gestured to her. “Come now, let’s go pick out a home together,” he proclaimed happily as he reached a hand for hers. Once interlocked, Sol began the march towards the lift and, she would have noticed he seemed less alert and vigilant when she’d snuck up on him. So, he was merely cautious for her benefit; or at least, that’s what it would seem. Sol couldn’t help the incredible smile which spread across his face and wrinkled his eyes; those golden hues jubilant as he was exuberant at the thought of them living together in a home of their choosing rather than the uniform lodging of The Spine.
 
Pulled in for a hug Oriane giggled softly and tilted her head as she looked up at him. His golden eyes held warmth within them and she felt herself melt a little when they focused on her. Having his full attention was always something she’d savor, Orii had no doubt about that. “Because I went home first” Her tone was shy, but she offered him a bright smile. “I don’t know why I thought me heading home might bother you, I was all over the station today and you had no fear of that.” At least none he’d shared with her. They both knew she could protect herself, but some things she still lacked. Her power? Yes power seemed about right, was undisciplined and short of the glow of her hands, which she could call without much thought, she had no idea how to reproduce the night before. Sol had been in danger then and she’d wanted to keep him safe. Could she do the same for herself?

Lips curled up into a smile that matched his own, her fangs flashing happily at him. “Oh? That's good! I assume they put up little resistance?” Her eyes scanned his armor without concealing the fact she was searching him for injury. Though her inspection was postponed as he leaned down, his mouth slanting over her own. Oriane more than eagerly met the kiss, purring gently long before he pulled back. “Mmmmn” The sound reverberated with the sound of her purring, Oriane clearly happy. Her cheeks had already been coloring from the kiss but the shade deepened as he paid her a compliment. She took that time to step a little out of his grasp, giving him a little turn. The skirt of her dress was lose, flowy and as she spun, the fabric caught along her thighs for a moment, tightening as the spiral completed, before spinning outwards, flashing a touch more of her thigh before settling around them again. “Think so?” There was a warmth to her voice.

Oraine’s mouth had been opening to question or say something, but whatever had been on the tip of her tongue vanished as he produced the gift he’d spoken of earlier. Blushing she looked up at him. “You had said you got me something” Biting her lower lip she smiled again. “I forgot… when you kissed me” The admission was sheepish, that he could distract her with so little effort. Laughing at his excitement she took the package and leaned up slightly to kiss the corner of his lip that he bit. Her eyes then turned to the beautiful package and she opened it with care. Within was a breathtaking bracelet “Sol, it's beautiful” His name was breathed out almost breathlessly and her face turned to him once more, a smile on her lips and excitement in her eyes. Extracting the communicator delicately she held it to him and then held her wrist out. It was truly beautiful, the delicate coils of bronze bringing out a richness in the ruby, seemingly almost as if it sparkled with fire within. For the little fire bird, the present was perfect. Attentive she listened as Sol explained how to use it, and what it was capable of. Looking up at him, she smiled, her voice soft “But you didn’t allow yourself to find me?” The cadence of her voice was loving and slightly admonishing. A hand slipped along his cheek and her mouth found his, her kiss just as loving. “I understand not wanting to assume, but Sol… I am yours” The words were whispered against his mouth before she pulled back. Oriane had taken that rather seriously, as she believed herself to be his and he hers.

Blushing her hand slipped into his and she nodded. “Okay” There was a timidness to her voice, but the excitement of the idea of having a home with him was what occupied most of the tone. Safely tucked into the lifts with him, Oriane settled herself into the crook of his arm, lifting the hand that held hers to encircle his arm around her waist. “I'm excited and scared” Her cheek nuzzled against the plate of his armor, though it wasn’t the touch of his strong chest under the softness of her flesh, she didn’t mind. “I can’t say I ever thought I’d have a house in the boughs… “ Tipping her face towards him, that blush still lingers in her cheeks, rosy in tone. “Or with someone…” She felt butterflies in her stomach, but these seemed nothing more than excitement tinged with nerves. Having a home with Sol, honestly, sounded like a dream come true she had never known she desired. It gave her a giddy, excited feeling that was hard to shake and Oriane had no real desire to.

The lift began to slow, but Orii didn’t pull away, more than content to linger within the lift a moment or two longer. That fear from last night deciding now of all times to poke it’s head up. People wouldn’t like that she or Bellamere lived there. She could handle it, even if she didn’t like it, but much like Sol was fiercely protective of her, she was the same with Bella. They would all have to work… Not that others in the boughs didn’t work, but they had jobs that wouldn’t find them covered in grease, soot, sweat. They mostly had desk jobs, they were ambassadors, wealthy merchants, doctors… The list went on and on. Orii didn’t voice her fears, knowing nothing in the end could stop people from being jerks. Inhaling his scent she closed her eyes and slowly opened them. No, she wouldn’t let these people who had yet to hurt her color this for her. The doors of the lift slid open soundlessly and a cool breeze curled into the space. She could smell flowers on the breeze, the scent heady and almost sweet. Hand still in his, Oriane stepped out onto a small bricked platform, looking out over fields of green grass that ruffled in the breeze like chimes. The petals of flowers danced in the wind. Small bubbling brooks and streams snaked through the sea of green with mountains rising to their left. She’d seen the boughs once before, but she’d come through maintenance shafts…. It was nothing like coming through properly. To their side, armed guards moved from an almost delicate booth made of sturdy stone and wood. It was in a word, picturesque for the landscape.
 
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At her response to his question, Sol couldn’t help but chuckle warmly as he looked at her and smiled. “See! You knew the answer all along!” he congratulated her with a bright grin as he reached up to caress her face gently as he allowed himself to bask in her presence. He couldn’t explain the feelings of warmth that washed over him so serenely when she was near. “You’re capable, darling. I wouldn’t have let you work alone had I not believed in you,” he praised her sincerely as his eyes brightened at the appearance of her fanged smile. He adored those sharp canines of hers, finding them to be quite attractive within those lovely lips. “Nearly none. Didn’t fight me, though. Truly, it was one of the easiest bounties I’ve ever taken,” his tone was a little boastful before they shared that sweet kiss. Orii’s eagerness wasn’t lost on him as his hand found the small of her back and inched her that much further into him. He felt the purr reverberating through into him, making his armor rattle just a little bit which made him grin further into their affection.

As she spun for him, he appreciated her figure thoroughly and licked his lips a little at that small flash of creamy skin and he gave a very similar growl of desire as he’d produced that morning. “Indeed,” he agreed eagerly as he looked at her with his hues aglow. His mote was spinning a little faster than it had before and it seemed to be going at nearly a dizzying speed. Obviously, he was incredibly excited and happy about everything which was going on. As Orii admitted to forgetting due to his kiss, Sol was radiant as he laughed softly, then said with a dominant flair, “Well, that’s just wonderful, then. I’m happy my lips command so much attentiveness from you.” As she opened it, Sol lit further at the excitement she displayed at it and he was so eager to help her put it on; he gently clasped it around her wrist and made a few adjustments to the band so it rested snug but comfortably against her skin. He hadn’t said, but he picked out the ruby specifically because she was his little firebird; a moniker he’d yet to provide to her, though he thought it more than once. As she asserted she was his, he smirked as they shared that romantic moment. “Oh, you absolutely do belong to me...But I didn’t want to rob you of the pleasure of submission,” his tone took on a further dominance as he looked intensely into her eyes. “And, much the same do I belong wholly to you, which is why yours is already set to find me whenever you please.”

As he heard the timidness in her voice, his hand tightened on hers in a secure manner and he kept his chin up and posture as proud and powerful as he could— which wasn’t difficult, given his stature. “I’m excited too...Less scared, though. A little anxious, if I’m being honest. I never thought I’d have a house...Especially not so soon. And certainly with the love of my life,” he said exuberantly as he squeezed her up against his side softly and he felt her nestling against the armored plate of his chest; he cursed his need to be prepared in such a fashion. As Sol could feel the apprehension building within Orii, she felt his hand dive into her hair and begin scratching softly and massaging at her scalp in a soothing way, not unlike petting a timid pet to calm its nerves. “Trust me, Oriane. We’ll find the place we belong here and we’ll all be uplifted for it,” he reassured her with a saccharine tone as he took a deep breath in through his nose as the lift opened. Already, he could smell the sweet, floral notes on the air along with the rich aroma of fresh water. How long had it been since he’d last smelled water that didn’t come straight from a bottle or pipe? Sol stepped out with her and his eyes were filled with wonder and amazement as he saw a blue sky overhead dappled with clouds and with a gentle breeze carrying across the fields. Shimmers of emerald grass waved at them, almost as if welcoming as flowers danced in the zephyr. Off to their left, a snowcapped mountain range rose and Sol found himself speechless as he looked around, the rolling hills keeping them from seeing the most distant horizons. However, they would see little villages which cropped up here and there on all sides, interconnecting walkways and roads which waved betwixt.

Sol glanced to the right and saw a sprawling, colossal forest of trees reminiscent of redwoods from the human home planet of Earth, except their leaves were multi-colored and each tree itself contained a rainbow’s worth of hues. Some were vibrant, others pastel, and some muted and faded; all of which climbed towards the sapphire heavens which spread in all directions above them. Sol could even make out what appeared to be dwellings built on and around the trunks of the trees, and dangling between from some sort of structure. “Orii, look to your right,” he was soft-spoken in his awe, though he was quickly removed from his stupor by the approach of the guard. Clearing his throat and tightening his jaw, his posture quickly shifted from relaxed and appreciative to guarded and protective as he subconsciously drew Oriane’s small frame towards and slightly behind him.

“What business have you in the Boughs?” one of them spoke up, a pastel violet-skinned alien with bright magenta irises and a shock of white hair atop, woven into a braid which ran down the spine of his neck and back. “Well, we are looking to purchase a home here and thus would like to acquire some aid in order to do so,” Sol replied respectfully, his tone strong and authoritative but non-threatening in his cadence. “I see...You need to submit to a financial screening before admission is granted for the purposes of buying property,” the man said matter-of-factly as he extended a hand. Sol nodded and held his arm— the one with the communicator implant— towards the alien and said, “It’s a dermal implant near the radial.” “Of course,” was all he replied as he produced, from a coat pocket, a scanning device which he then passed over Sol’s wrist until some indicator lights flashed and an electronic chirping was heard. It took mere seconds before a hologram was displayed with a record of Sol’s financial transactions. He had more money than Orii might’ve seen in her entire life up until that point and there were a few transactions which each totaled more than the amount he currently had. “I see you’re quite the adept bounty hunter. They like you type who are more lawful here in the Boughs, so you and your wife here shouldn’t see too much trouble being welcomed into a neighborhood. You’ve enough to buy one of the upper-middle-range properties, so we shall summon for you the realtor which deals in those properties,” at their confirmation of his affluence, they seemed a little cheerier to deal with them. Not as though they were unpleasant, to begin with; they just seemed to ease and brighten after, perhaps just because they no longer had to worry about the potential threat of a massive human Solarian rampaging on them.

Sol seemed to brighten a little himself when the guard asserted Orii was his wife and said nothing to correct him on the matter. “Fantastic, thank you. Is there any way we could request that the property be...fireproof? Heat tends to be a little problematic in our little family,” Sol said a touch sheepishly with a grin as he gestured towards the stellar mote, and the guard which had done all the speaking merely offered a short chuckle. “But, of course, sir. If you will stand over there,” he said as he gestured beyond the booth to what looked like a bus terminal of some sort, “Someone should be along to collect you both shortly.” And, with that, he gave a polite bow and the guards walked back to their posts, seemingly uninterested in sharing any further pleasantries than what had already been exchanged. As Sol began to lead her towards the ‘bus stop’, he couldn’t help but look towards that forested area again. “Did you see it, Orii?” he asked her excitedly as he gestured towards it. “I’ve never seen anything like that!”
 
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A soft snort left her and she stuck her tongue out at him as he congratulated her. She knew it wasn’t meant in anything other than the clear playfulness that was shown, his smile stretching ear to ear. “Perhaps. I really only can call the fire to my hands on demand… Whatever I did last night was a first and I am willing to bet anything that it was because you were in danger.” Nuzzling against his hand she smiled. “Am I allowed to ask about your work?” She couldn’t see any reason she couldn’t, but he might want to shield her from what he had to do. It would have been reasonable; his work was a part of him though and Oriane wanted to know all of him.

The growl that rumbled through his throat made her shiver, and her lashes lower almost demurely before her eyes found his once more, the heat that her teal and gold flecked eyes held heated desire as he spoke about her belonging to him, the pleasure her submission could bring and the fact that as she was his, he was hers. Orii had never really looked into the pleasure he spoke of, but it, like his kisses sung to her. Biting her lower lip, she shifted in place, a small mimic of early that morning as she became aroused. Holding her wrist out to him, her face upturned. “Please?” The word was soft and almost breathy as she asked him to grant himself access.

Cradled in the crook of his arm and body she listened to him talk about his feelings, when he called her the love of his life her cheeks flushed and she turned towards him some. “Sol” His name was a wondering and soft; they had all but said they loved one another, but love of his life settled the words unsaid between them further. Her smile was bright as she rose on her toes to kiss him. Lowering she curled into him, her tension rising despite the tender words from him. Sol took notice, as he always did; he never seemed to fail to notice the slightest shift in her. Orii found it endearing and as his fingers slipped into her hair she purred, eyes closing a sweet little moan leaving her as she relaxed. Her eyes opened as he spoke and she nodded some. She was looking forward to this more than she wasn’t. More than just them, the home would give Bellamere a safe place to live as well. The woman had lived on the station most of her life and had never once considered the lofty heights of the boughs within her reach; a reasonable assumption. Without Sol, they wouldn’t have had this chance. “Bellamere is going to be so surprised. I just realized she doesn’t know of this plan”

Stepping out she took in the vast emerald sea with a gasp, walking forward a step. She was too mesmerized by the rustling grasses and dancing petals to have looked further, when he spoke her face turned and her hands rose to her mouth, a soft gasp leaving her. She’d only seen a city, in the boughs… this all of this? Tears threatened to form as she looked out over the vast landscapes offered. The clearing of his throat had her turning and she was shepherded behind him protectively. Orii rested a small hand on his lower back, her eyes shifting around, taking in the sights as Sol handled the guard. Blinking some as they exchanged the financial info, Oriane turned her head, blushing. It was perhaps silly, but she had nothing like that to contribute. A little voice in her mind told her Sol didn’t care and she trusted it and him, but she couldn’t help but wish she could help ease the burden she and Bellamere would cause.

It wasn’t until the words ‘wife’ were spoken, that she turned back into the conversation. Perhaps it was lucky she was hidden behind his larger form, his back to her, for the silly, deliriously happy smile that formed on her mouth. She would have been embarrassed if Sol had seen it, but the idea was far from unpleasant. Being his, being his wife… they were the same, but she found she favored the word as well. Nor did Sol correct the man, which made her heart soar a little more and when he said family she fought and lost the battle to not squeak in happiness. Following behind him, her hand slipped into his own as she came up beside him, turning to look at the homes that studded the trunk of a massive tree. Looking at him she smiled brightly. “Makes me think of elves, the stories around them. Very Tolkien”

Her eyes were drawn to the mote that Sol had brought the attention to, rather than explain his wife sometimes set herself on fire. Reaching up her fingers brushed along the edges of it. She could feel the heat that was trapped within it, but she could also feel gravity around it. Oriane recalled the black hole Sol had made their first meeting. She’d thought herself delirious, but touching the mote, she could see how it perhaps was done. Her fingers curled around the mote, gentle. “I think Nyenyezi would be a good name. I wish I could say it was clever, it just means star in an old earth language” She smiled to Sol. “But Nyen for short” Her hand withdrew and she snuggled against his arm, it’s armor coated plates resting against the softness of her breasts and she laid her head against his upper arm. “Do you think they have a lot of fireproof homes?” She was unsure how common her fiery problems would be in others.
 
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“That’s very sweet of you, Orii...Though, I think we might be able to find someone who could train you to control it. Maybe even I could?” he asked while holding his grin as he looked at her with warmth in his eyes. His mote spiraled around quickly as she asked her question and he gave a slow nod, “Of course you can. Although, if something gets particularly...unpleasant, don’t expect me to go into too much detail.” Sol knew Oriane could probably handle a bit of the grisliness he had to deal with from time to time, but he’d rather not color her perception of the world further towards the darkness his job dragged him into.

As Oriane trembled at his voice and his eyes became molten as her own hues held her inner fire within as well. As she shifted in place, he couldn’t help but think of how she had done so that morning and what it had meant and just that alone was enough to make him amorous. His unyielding armor tightened against him in an uncomfortable way which made him grin a little more. He’d never been with someone who elicited excitement from him so easily. As she requested of him with her sweet voice, he grinned more and nodded as he reached to her wrist and gestured a few times over the communicator and then showed her the display of it as he leaned down to kiss her knuckle affectionately.

Sol hadn’t really caught what he had said until after she seemed so excited by it and he looked at her with a bright smile and a soft crimson on his cheeks. As she rose on her toes, he smiled and wrapped his arm around her waist so he could lift her up into the air a little for them to kiss more intimately. After he sat her back down and he began to ease her tension, that soft sound of pleasure she made sent a shiver up his back. His arm tightened around her, keeping her close and she pointed out that Bella hadn’t any idea what they were up to. “Oh my, you’re right! She’s going to be so excited! Hopefully, anyway,” he said with a laugh as he shook his head.

Sol almost looked back at Orii as she made that happy squeak and he honestly felt quite happy about the notion of her being his wife as well. Perhaps, someday soon, she would be. As they walked and she fell in step with him, his fingers laced with hers and he squeezed hers with his large hand. “It really does! It’s wondrous, isn’t it? Almost like we’re living in a fantasy,” he said as his eyes glimmered with wonder and amazement. His smile was equally as bright as he looked at her with shining golds as his mote orbited ecstatically around his head. Then, as she reached for it, it stopped as if to allow her the touch and, as her fingers brushed against it, Sol suddenly stopped and shuddered as he bit his lip. When she touched it in that tender way, he felt a jolt that moved through his entire body and left him feeling simultaneously excited and at ease.

“I...O-Orii...That feels…” he struggled to communicate as she cradled it; he felt his heart soaring as his body tingled with immense amounts of energy. And, as she touched it, she started to feel an emotional thread reach out to her which connected to her. Then, she felt a small swell of his emotions as the object which was the most immediate manifestation of his spirit connected with her in ways he’d never experienced. It was almost like something within him was awakening and he could feel repeated surges of energetic influence ripple across every fiber of his being. Then, as she withdrew, he felt the ripples through him fade, yet the energy remained behind and his eyes shone vividly.

It took him just a moment but to recover but he’d heard everything she’d said and he looked at her with a warm grin and an immense heat in his eyes. “Nyenyezi...That’s a great name. Nyen is going to love it,” he agreed as he leaned his head towards hers and took a deep breath in. “I’m sure they have some,” he said with a chuckle as he smiled happily. “There are several races which have different fire capabilities and there are different types of magic which can cause the same,” he said warmly as he couldn’t stop himself from showing his brilliant teeth with his happy expression. “I feel...just...incredibly good,” he informed her softly as he reached across his body and began to tousle her hair softly with his fingertips.

Just as they were reaching the terminal they were requested to wait at, there was a high-pitched hum of an engine as a skycar rapidly began descending from the blue expanse to land on an open patch of grass nearby. The car was long and sleek with special engines that produce flux in the locally generated gravity in order to generate lift. Most of the car, however, was a see-through dome of glass, within which were two rows of comfortable looking seats, with a figure sitting in the front row. From within stepped a long, spindly looking fellow who wore a full ebony and red spacesuit with some sort of display on the helmet which lit up with soft colors to emulate facial features somewhat. A pleasant, though obviously digital voice spoke through the visor in their direction. “Hello! You must be the couple who are looking for the new home, yes? My name is Azrekar, but you can call me Ace for short!” his energy was palpable and high as he approached with a quick stride, standing just a bit taller than Sol but with nowhere near the muscular prowess of the human warrior. He looked like he might collapse without that spacesuit on. There were some who didn’t tolerate the atmosphere most conducive to life and, as such, had to wear suits within the areas suited for habitation by most of the galaxy’s life.

“Hello, Azrekar! I’m Sol and this is my wife, Oriane,” he gave her a wry grin as he gestured to introduce her in such a manner, a look of pure elation in his eyes when he repeated those words. “Fantastic to meet the two of you! And, are congratulations in order? You two have the happy glow of newlyweds about you! If you two will accompany me, I can take you aloft in my skycar and I can take you to the different biomes to view some homes! I’m sure we can find something that’s just perfect for your new family!” the creature was exuberant, the hues of its face brightening and shifting to a soft blue. Sol was impressed by the alien’s technology and even gave a happy laugh himself as he looked over at Orii. “There are different biomes?!" He asked excitedly and the figure gave a nod before gesturing to his own communicator and they both received an alert to theirs. "Within, you will find the listing of the biomes which have the types of homes available within your price range. When you are ready to view, please, let me know!" optimistic might go a little way towards explaining this creature's tone and Sol wasn't sure of what species it was. "Are you ready, my sweet bride? I'll even let you take the first selection,” every time he’d said it or heard it, his smile grew bolder and fuller.
 
She couldn't help wonder how training to fight might be... and it wasn't only because currently she was being hunted down. Oriane had every intention, even if the word wife hasn't happened yet, she wanted to be with Sol. It felt silly on one hand to know just a few days after meeting that she wanted to spend her life with him, but he seemed to feel the same. So why learn to defend herself? Sol would do his best to keep her safe, but what if someone learned that his weak spot was her? In truth, she didn't know how likely that was, but it was better to be safe than sorry, was it not? Should someone think that she was easier pickings, or think to manipulate him though her, they would hopefully find that the diminutive red head was not easy prey. A smile curled on her lips as she looked up at him; there was only one man she wished to be easy prey for. The thought made her giggle and then nod. "I'd like that. Though, I know which I'd prefer." Blushing she admitted almost sheepishly "Though, how much training do you think we'd get done?" The salacious implication obvious she bit her lower lip and grinned at him. He seemed to bring that desire out in her, and she did so love the way he growled at her when she mentioned or did anything remotely sexual.

Her smile softened some, just for a moment as he mentioned his job, nodding. "I understand. It's just a part of who you are" The explanation was simple. Her feelings as he gazed at her, his eyes molten gold, were less so. She watched as he allowed himself the ability to track her, per her request and the brush of his lips against her knuckles elicited a purr from her. Orii liked the way she responded to him, what he drew from her with seemingly no effort. His blush was charming though, and she leaned up to kiss him, he pulled her into him and she laughed as her feet left the floor. It would have been improper to wrap her legs around him now, though that desire was there; instead her arms slid around his neck, her mouth meeting his with the same ardor Sol kissed her with.

It seemed like so much time had passed from when he'd held her aloft in his arms till when she stroked his mote, though in truth very little had. She'd never felt anything like it before. The first touch had been warm, that sort of warm that Sol produced, but hotter; His warmth was the kind she wanted to roll around naked in, purring as she basked in the glow. Then, something unexpected had occurred and she could feel... She still wasn't sure what that had been. Part of Sol? He had said that Nyen was a part of him, just a physical manifestation of himself. She'd felt what she could only guess were his emotions. Blushing she met his eyes "I am going to go out on a limb and say no one else has ever touched Nyen?" She was fireproof, and Sol had said there were others who could produce flames, but how often did you run into them? Or allow them to touch Sol like he allowed her? His body was one thing, she knew this. Sol had other lovers before her and the idea didn't bother Oriane at all, but she doubted any other had wanted to or been allowed to touch something quite so intimate; even if they had been fireproof.

Laughing she tried to playfully side step him, though she didn't care if Sol mussed her hair. It was more the fun of making him 'chase' after her. "What that before or after the touch?" Oriane couldn't help but be curious, though either answer would make her happy. She'd liked what she'd felt as she stroked Nyen, the feelings she'd picked up on and the way he had seemed to glow after with his joy. She might have said more, had there not been that hum. Stepping into Sol slightly, Oriane's face lifted and she watched the car descend. She smiled brightly at the figure, still tucked under Sol's arm. Oriane hadn't been afraid, but she found she was comfortable snuggled close to Sol and even with no danger to be found, she felt safe there too. "Hello Ace, it's nice to meet you"

Sol had then introduced them and Oriane gave a small squeak and hid her face against his armor. Her face slowly colored till it was near the shade of his hair. Once more she was struck by how much she liked that word. Wife. Never once had she in all honesty pictured being someone's wife. It had been a fantasy, sure, but like when a little girl dreams of being a princess, it had faded. Orii hadn't been bitter about it, she had accepted it as just something that wasn't meant to be. Like the fact that her hair was the color of rubies or the face that she purred when she was happy. Just a fact of her, though less of a physical manifestation as the other two. She turned her face back towards Ace, her cheeks still brilliantly flushed all the way into her carmine locks. Orii couldn't help the stutter as she answered him. "T..th..thank you" Sol, she determined, was lucky he had his armor! She'd need to pinch him later. Yes, indeed she needed to pinch him.

Oriane's eye narrowed playfully and she made the clear I'm watching you motion with two of her fingers pointing to her own turquoise eyes and back to his golden ones, but smiled, ruining the not so serious threat. Laughing softly she shook her head and fought the urge to cover her face with her hands. "How kind of you, husband" There was a playful lilt to her voice, it's cadence holding laughter as she looked to her new gift. Oriane turned away from him, clearly intending to hide the choice, though perhaps easier said than done when her soul mate towered over her; had she minded though, she would have asked he turned. "No peeking now!" Settling on one listing in particular, Oriane offered a shy smile and showed them both her first choice. "Here, please Ace" Orii had always wanted to see snow, it was one of the many things on her list of things to see in life. In truth she hadn't planned to stay on the station as long as she had. Gazing up at Sol, she smiled softly. She was glad she had. Who knew how long they would have been forced to wait otherwise while the universe tried to bring them together.

Climbing into the car, she scooted over and once Sol had joined her, she tucked herself against him eagerly. This time however, there might have been another reason for her snuggling into him other than the desire to be close; Orii had a small fear of heights. Looking up at him, she pressed a kiss to his jaw, before rubbing her cheek to his cheek, the nuzzling drawing forth a soft purr from her before her eyes turned forward as the car rose. Her hand found his and she gave it a squeeze, the grip tightening marginally as the care rose higher.
 
At her implication, Sol couldn’t help but give a chuckling growl of delight as he looked at her with those smoldering hues of his. She truly did know how to get his blood pumping. If he’d known he could have gotten away with it, he would have done more about what she’d said while they were in the lift. Though those things moved deceptively fast and he wasn’t about to be caught doing private things in a public setting. At least, not yet, anyway.

At her question regarding his mote, Sol smiled and shook his head slowly as he looked at her, his face still somewhere between blissful and shocked. “No...Not a soul. It’s superheated plasma, no one can touch it but me, usually. I mean, people get hit with it as a weapon but are they really touching it if they’re vaporizing fairly quickly?” he asked with a soft laugh as he reveled in the afterglow of the connection they’d briefly shared. She would also notice that, even after she released her fingers from the mote, she was more in tune with his emotional status and all that held. She could feel the love he felt for her, the happiness every time they touched, and the deep desire which yearned for her. At her dodging, Sol laughed heartily and chased her down eagerly before catching and ruffling her hair.

“Well, both, but especially after,” he answered truthfully as he smiled from ear to ear and he enjoyed the way Orii sidled up into him and his arm formed a protective, embracing wrap around her as he couldn’t help but continually exude an aura of decided euphoria. Once again, that delightful squeak of hers announced how joyous it made her to be called his wife. He should make that official one of these days and really give her something to enjoy. As she showed her blushing face, Sol wanted to cradle her cheeks and kiss her slowly, lovingly so— but, they had guests and an objective so such things would have to wait for the moment. As Oriane gestured to him with that playfully serious look on her face, Sol’s eyes wrinkled a little from his smile before he went completely deadpan and then held up a hand and looked around innocently. Then, he laughed himself as he nudged up against her gently.

A low, delighted hum left him when she used the word husband and he felt his heart swell with warmth and skip a moment before catching its rhythm again. He’d never thought of himself as husband material, thinking he’d make a fine boyfriend to someone one day but never a husband. However, Oriane was changing his entire perspective on the whole ordeal and he was finding himself more and more picturing a life with the two of them building towards a mutual future. As she commanded him not to peek, Sol respectfully cast his gaze away and hummed nonchalantly as she made her decision. Then, she showed the two and Sol gave a soft gasp. Oh, he’d not seen a snowscape in many years and he adored the snow.

The lanky alien took a look at the decision she had made and his visor beamed brightly, “Excellent choice! Now, if there is nothing else, we shall disembark!” Sol caught Orii as she began to gaze up at him and his own gaze found her, warm and affectionate. He saw the look in her eyes and he couldn’t resist but to lean and kiss her sweetly once Azrekar began to make his way back to the skycar. The dome fully opened this time, rather than just the front hatch, in order to allow the two of them to fit comfortably into the back. Sol helped her into the car first, seeming to bristle with excitement as the effervescent emotion overtook him by quite a degree. As she tucked herself against him, he wrapped his arm firmly around her and squeezed her close to him. Her kiss to his jaw elicited a small shiver from him and he leaned towards her loving ministrations, returning her nuzzles as he sighed happily.

As the hatch began to close, Azrekar spoke again, “It shouldn’t take us but 10 minutes to get there. In the meantime, do you two wish to have any music playing? Or would you rather the ride be silent? Or, we could have a discussion? The choice is up to you!” And, with that, the car began to rise and Sol noticed how Orii gripped him when the car began to rise into the air and tighten as they climbed further still. 'The poor girl is afraid of heights,' he thought. Once again, his hand reached over and began to stroke through her hair and his fingers traced delicate paths over her scalp in a soothing way. “Music would be wonderful, Azrekar. Do you think you could perhaps play something—” before Sol could finish, a calming and melodic electronic song came singing through the speakers. “Yeah, just like that! How did you know?” he asked with an astonished tone. Azrekar tapped his head and said proudly, “We Erudonians can read certain surface-level thoughts within other sapient creatures. I could hear the music you were envisioning, in a sense.”

As they rose into the air, that massive nearby forest became shorter and shorter as they rose ever higher than the boughs of the trees. Off on the horizon and in all directions there expanded the various paths and villages which made up the Boughs, as well as the different biomes that sprung up at varying distances. In one direction, the snow-capped mountain range and the glaciers held therein; in another, what appeared to be a volcano peeked just over the horizon, small plumes of ash rising from its glowing orange pinnacle; another still saw wetlands which sprawled with autumnally chromatic plantlife and what appeared to be villages which floated aboard rafts of lashed together logs and connected to one another via walkways made of similar constructions; and, the last remarkable thing to be seen was a large cityscape in the distance with buildings that seemed to tower as high as the mountains themselves. Perhaps there was where Orii had been sent to work. There certainly was no shortage of variety here in the Boughs.

As the car began to pivot towards the snowy mountains, Sol felt the prickle of anticipation tingle over his skin once again. Even with the song and the thoughts to distract him, he never ceased in the way he tended to Orii in that affectionate fashion which he did. His fingers continued their graceful dance over her scalp, intertwining in her locks occasionally to feel the silky texture slide between his fingers. He did so enjoy that. And, true to his word, the skycar took mere minutes before they were past the threshold of the mountain range and entered their snowy peaks properly. Buried within inches of snow, warm lights alit the windows of the lovely homes built along paths seen only by the footfalls which seemed to traverse them regularly enough. Azrekar brought them in for a landing at what seemed to be a crossroads in the paths, there being a spot which seemed explicitly designated for use by skycar as the slightly gated off and flattened area might have alluded to. As the car settled in, Azrekar exclaimed, “We have arrived at Jotunstead here in the Frostweald!” as the dome to the skycar began to open once again.

Sol could immediately smell the crisp sterility of the winter air, flakes of snow falling into the previously warm space as the Solarian began to stand and offered a hand to help Orii up. He apparently didn’t mind the cold at all, for, other than the tone of his cheeks becoming rosied, there was no reaction to him which might have told otherwise. “Come, my love. I’m eager to go on this hunt with you," his voice called to her, inflamed by passion.
 
There was something pleasing about knowing she was the first to touch Nyen. It made sense, when he explained it, but did nothing to diminish the simple pleasure that being the first brought. Perhaps it was a little selfish, to know that she was likely the first and the only to have been able to brave the heat? To know no one else would be able to do it either. Silly when Sol was hers, she knew that when he said those words, he meant them but this was a claim on something that no one could take from her. Oriane didn't feel guilty at the pride she felt over it either; he was hers as she was his. Sol would have her firsts, all of them likely and now, she had one of his. The edges of her lips curled upwards, like a kitten with cream, a rosy blush in her cheeks as she met Sol's eyes.

Without saying, Sol had easily picked up on the clues of her unease. They hadn't been subtle, she supposed, but the calming music was appreciated. Blushing softly she smiled at him. "Thank you". The music was calming as was the closeness that she shared with Sol; had they been alone, Orii might have found her way into his lap, surely the astounding views would have lost some of the scare that lingered even with the calming music and the gentle reassurance. The trees had shrunk away and more of the boughs had been exposed and even with her fear of heights, Oriane had leaned into Sol for a better look. The softness of her smaller form snuggling into his gently as her mouth opened in awe. It seemed everything had been accounted for, in this vast sphere when it came to regions, climates.

Even if she might not have had any strong desire to live in the shimmering sands of the Savannah, where the heat rippled along the golden sands, forming mirages from nothing but heat and air. Nor would she favor the misty trees that had caught their eye. While beautiful, she could only picture the thick air, akin to soup that would fill the spaces between the large trunks; in truth it made her think of the spine. The city also did not call to her, her previous tip to the boughs had been within its towering structures. The call of the snow, the beaches or even the vast flowery meadow were what held the strongest pull to her as well as the few homes that were listed as underwater, they sang to her like a siren's call, the desire the strongest.

She could recognize that all of the biomes seemed to be from earth and as this was as close anyone would come to the world that had once been. As she leaned into him, she tried to recall the last details about earth. Things had gotten better, but humanity, from what she knew had been forced to make drastic changes. They had been forced for a while to purge their citizens into space to live on stations, ships and other colonies; millions upon millions of people had been banished from the surface of their home planet. What she viewed below was likely an accurate representation of what earth had been like long before humanity had poisoned their planet. The rich colors, startling views were breathtaking.

From what she had read, at that point had been damn near inhabitable. The air had been toxic and breathers had been required outside of the home. Oriane shivered slightly as she recalled the dire straits and humanity had been on the brink of killing their planet and their species, they had no choice. The drastic measures had not been pretty. The first ships, colonies had struggled adrift in the vast coldness of space; a lot of humanity had died gruesome and horrifying deaths due to poor planning, insignificant supplies and cut corners. Some had found unlikely help in the kindness of older children of the universe. In total, it had been half a millenia before earth had been habitable without the constant use of breathers and near a millenia and a half had been a shadow of her former self. To maintain this, people were still shipped from the green and blue gem of the milky way, a strictly maintained population was kept and to date the skies were still blue.

The touch of Sol's fingers along her scalp and through the weighty ruby tendrils had not been ignored, as they began to descend to the snowy landscape she'd picked, Oriane was purring. The sound was a constant thrum of noise, rumbling in her throat. The dome of the sky car lifted and Oriane looked up to the fall of snow. A delighted smile spread across her face and she stuck out her tongue, the tip of the pink muscle curling eager to catch a snowflake as it fell from the heavens above. Giggling she looked to his hand, her own slipping into his. Looking down she bit her lower lip, the snow would be no match for her heat, she was not concerned by that. Rather her heels against slick surfaces and the water she was bound to produce. "I did not think my footwear through" Blushing she looked to Sol.
 
Sol himself enjoyed that Oriane was the first to touch him in such a way and was pleasantly surprised to feel that intimate connection it caused them. He wondered at the possibilities, of how else it might feel for her to touch it further; or, how they might enhance their pleasure during their more amorous activity. He could see how happy it made Oriane to know what she did now and his smile was bright and warm as she met him with rosy cheeks and an adorable smile. His eyes were bright and ecstatic, broadcasting the pure joy he felt at this moment.

At her thanks, Sol smiled down at her and looked at her with love in his eyes as he stroked his fingers through her hair. Anywhere else and he'd have made it a point to make his lap available to her and pull her within the confines of his broad-shoulders that he might hold her more genuinely. As she leaned over him, a soft hum of delight as he felt her form through the spaces of his armor plates and he looked out towards what she was, equally as awestruck as he thought of how lovely it would be to live anywhere here. This was nothing like any of the colonial ships and was much more hospitable than most of the planets and moons he'd visited as well.

Sol thought deeply on where he would like to live, dismissing warmer climates as they were both creatures of heat and fire who desire to be closer than anything else. He just simply didn't see that as being comfortable for them. No, his thoughts meandered to open meadows of verdant hills, flowering and colorful with the gentle rollicking of the grassy blades as breezes swept through. Or, he thought of the homes beneath the waves, which seemed to be able to change their levels based on the information he had gleaned. He was fascinated by sea creatures, deeply enjoying their bioluminescence as that reminded him of his own shining ball of light. Underwater, there was such a variety of life, from simple to complex, and Sol enjoyed the thoughts of watching these creatures swim outside of their window as they lay wrapped in each other's embraces.

Many of the biomes had been based on planet Earth, which seemed a little unusual to Sol since the station didn't appear to be man-made. However, there were obvious leniencies taken with it as many of the plant and animal life found here were more colorful and varied than what would be found on that terrestrial planet. Sol had never been there personally, but he'd heard the horror stories of how they'd nearly ended their own human existence by pushing the planet too far and that it took quite the stretch of time before the planet even resembled its former splendor. Their race truly was one of hubris and greed, as Sol experienced time and time again.

Sol couldn't help himself but find delight in the way she purred at his touch and the adorable behavior she immediately engaged in at the first sight of snow. As he went to help her from her seat, she called his attention towards her shoes. Certainly, they weren't suited for the snow and Sol was ill-prepared for this eventuality himself. However, Azrekar chimed up as she made the announcement, "Not to worry! I always have footwear for all biomes within the storage compartment!" And, with that, the lanky alien stood and opened a hatch on the rear of the vehicle and pulled out two snowboots that looked like they would be too large for even Sol's feet. "Now, I know how they look, but simply take your shoes off and place these on your feet and they will shrink down to a snug, comfortable fit," Azrekar explained as he held the boots out, to which Sol smiled and thanked him as he took the boots from him. He knelt into the snow, reaching to undo the straps of her heels, and then he softly slipped the fur-lined black boots over her foot. As Azrekar had said, the boots very quickly shrank down with a soft 'zrrrr' noise before stopping their diminution as they made contact with her skin comfortably.

“Well, it looks like the two of you are all set!” Azrekar proclaimed as he looked out towards the homes, two of which were vacant with one built with the more fiery races in mind. “Indeed, I think we are,” Sol agreed as he stood slowly and scooped Orii up as he did, lifting her out of the car with his arms under her legs and shoulders, and then he placed her slowly onto the ground next to him. Underfoot, the soft crunch of snow could be heard after he placed her then he wound his arm around hers and then laced his fingers with hers as he hummed a soft melody reminiscent of the one they had listened to in the car, but not quite the same.

Sol chuckled softly as he whispered to her, “I’m a little disappointed he had the appropriate footwear. I would have happily cradled you the whole way to the home. But, I think you should experience the feeling of snow in its entirety.” His eyes were playful as he looked at her, reaching up to brush the golden locks from his face. Slowly, he looked around as the snowflakes fell around them, enjoying the tickling touches which flitted over his skin. Slowly, he looked skyward and, much as she had, stuck his tongue out to catch some snowflakes as he trudged through the snow with her.

On the ground, the pristine white crystals of water glittered ever so faintly in the light which filtered through the gray clouds overhead. It looked as though they were peppered with tiny little diamonds and, knowing the Boughs, maybe they were. Each of the flakes of snow were beautiful and large, patterns radiating out in perfect symmetry of fractals which seemed to never end no matter how close one got. Gentle breezes were accented by swirls of the beautiful wisps of alabaster, branches covered in thin green needles swaying to and fro. Their gentle rustling could be heard as Sol looked towards one of the frosted windows which hinted at a cozy, warm interior with the amber hue emanating from within. Banks of snow lay hither and yon gathered from the blowing winds unable to blow them past the walls, the slopes, or the objects around which they had piled.
 
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